Velvet Divorce
by Noizchild Johnson
Summary: Sixth one of my series, "Ghost Doll." Teenage boys are dying in a private school in Nagasaki. Ju-Oh-Cho suspects a demon is behind the murders. Tsuzuki and Hisoka go undercover to find the cause. Meanwhile, Anna tries unlock her powers to defend herself.
1. Bloody Glass

Velvet Divorce

_Chapter One: Bloody Glass:_

_Not again!_

Blood smeared over the walls and floor. Her spine froze and her breath felt hot in the dark September air of the room. She took slow steps backwards, shaking her head.

_No! No!_ She fled down the stairs to the lobby.

"Help!" she cried. "Somebody help me!"

-Ju-Oh-Cho-

Tsuzuki had an interesting thought while eating his cake over his paperwork. He and Anna had been dating for three months now and everything was good so far, but yet curiosity built up in the bedroom department. He wanted to try out new sexual tricks with Anna. Tsuzuki sat back in his chair with his spoon in his hand.

_She's never tried oral with me before_, he thought. _I only got to eat her out once._ He began to miss the taste already; thinking about it made him tremble with mischief. Each bite of cake led to deeper thoughts. They never did get to finish their date in Kyoto; Asmodeus and Hisoka saw to that. Oh well, that's on the to-do list with Anna. _Is she into the romantic stuff or kinky play? Oh and what about a little cosplay?_ Tsuzuki shut his eyes in delight.

"Tsuzuki-san, Hisoka-kun!" a voice snapped him back into reality. The shinigami looked up and found younger Gushoshin floating over to them. The older shinigami frowned.

"Oh what do want, Gushoshin?" he whimpered.

"Chief Konoe wants to see you both," he said. "It's really important." Tsuzuki sighed and dropped his shoulders.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled. It looked like the experimentation would have to wait. _Damn it! I haven't even gotten to the best part!_

"This case comes from a private school in your area," Tatsumi said as he showed them the pictures of mutilated bodies of high school boys in various bone-breaking positions. Their bodies were covered in red with their inwards revealed from the deep wounds from their chests to their abdomens. Their open mouths looked to still be screaming for help. Tsuzuki and Hisoka winced at such carnage.

"What happened to them?" Tsuzuki asked.

"In the course of five weeks," Tatsumi began. "Twelve teenage boys have been killed in the savage way you see there. The only connection they have is that they attended Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and Senior High. Their ages were around sixteen and seventeen." Tsuzuki and Hisoka watched with wide eyes.

"Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and Senior High?" Tsuzuki asked.

"The private school?" Hisoka asked.

"Yes," Tatsumi said. "We believe the killings are done by a demon."

"We need you to get to Nagasaki right away," Konoe said. "We can't afford any more bloodshed."

"Yes sir," Tsuzuki and Hisoka replied. The oldest of the pair hid his dissatisfaction with the situation.

Meanwhile, Anna made her way over to Wisteria House and knocked on the door.


	2. Release Mother

_Chapter Two: Release Mother:_

_Mother?_

Anna didn't understand it. _What did Kohaku mean by "mother?" Did he mine my kitsune?_ Her own mystery deepened when she went out to the shed in the backyard to help Rihoko clean it out.

"There are so many boxes in here," the paranormal otaku said.

"Yeah," Anna said. "Papa kept many notes since we left my old community." In truth, Anna had her own motives for cleaning the shed. An answer for why Kohaku called her "Mother." _Maybe the answer is in Papa's notes_, Anna thought.

"Where do we start?" she asked. Rihoko looked around at the many taped-up boxes.

"Um… You get the back corner, I guess," she said after some thought.

"Alright," Anna said. The "ghost" woman took three boxes back to her. She paused to settle herself_. Inside these boxes were the truth to "mother." Do I really want to know?_ Might as well, she had already been dragged into this mess when she first died.

Anna opened the box with an open pair of scissors and looked inside. Stacks of paper saw the light of day for the first time in years. Anna took her time reading the first set of notes. A puzzled look washed over her face.

_What is all of this? _The language wasn't in Japanese and the woman certainly didn't recognize it. _What the hell?_ She lied back on her futon.

"I'm going to need some help with this," she said to herself.

Anna knocked on the door and waited. She looked up to a surprise when she saw Emiko looking rather pissed off at the doorway.

"Uh… is this a bad time?" Anna asked. The butch demon quickly changed her face.

"No, no!" she brushed it off. "What can I do for you?" Anna looked around at first.

"It's really important," she whispered. Emiko nodded once.

"Oh," she said. The demon turned inside the house. "Follow me," she said. Anna followed her inside, still puzzled. As she took off her shoes, the woman tried to guess what happened moments before she came to the door. _I hope it's nothing too serious_, she thought as she rose to her feet. Emiko led her former student into the living room and sat in her red recliner.

"Talk to me," she said. "What do you need?" Anna looked around again.

"Where's Hotaru?" she asked. Emiko puffed out a bitter breath.

"We got into an argument last night," she answered. The other woman tilted her head rather puzzled.

"An argument?" she asked. "What happened?"

"Just a stupid, childish thing," the butch demon summed up. "She's being a little bitch and avoiding me. In fact, she just left a few minutes ago."

"How sad," Anna said. Emiko shook her head.

"Not a bother," she said. "She'll be back soon. She does this when she gets pissed at me." The butch demon clapped her hand together. "Okay," Emiko said. "What'cha got?" Anna handed her the notes in a file. The butch demon read over them.

"Oh?" she asked. "What do we have here?"

"Papa's notes," Anna answered. "They're in some language I don't understand." Emiko looked rather perplexed by this.

"Really now?" she asked.

"Yeah," Anna replied. "I may be multi-lingual, but I have never seen this before in my life." Emiko paused and looked up. Anna noticed the look her face and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked. The butch demon narrowed her eyes at her.

"Why did you come to me with this?" she asked. Anna tried not to show her worry as she looked Emiko in the eye.

"I sent it to Watari-san this morning and asked him to translate it for me," she admitted.

"And?" the butch demon asked rather amused. Anna shook her head with a frown.

"He said no," she admitted.

"Why is that?" Emiko asked, intrigued.

"Asato told him not to," the other woman admitted.

"I see…" the butch demon replied in thought. Emiko glanced at Anna again. "Why do you want to know about these so badly?" she asked.

"One of the kitsune called me `mother' when it was about to kill me a few days ago," Anna said. Emiko froze at her words.

"What did you say?" she asked with a sharp look in her eyes. Anna explained the whole battle to the demon. Emiko began to see the whole picture. She shook her head at the woman.

"I'm sorry, but I have to side with the boys on this one," the butch demon said at last.

"What?" Anna asked as her face dropped. Emiko gently took her hands.

"Listen," she said, calmly. "Tsuzuki is trying to protect you." The other woman sneered.

"I know," she forced out. "I do appreciate it, but I want to be able to fend for myself as well. I'm tired of feeling useless." She squeezed Emiko's hands.

"Help me do that, or at least tell me the truth of what's going on!" The butch demon smirked at her.

"You sure about that?" she asked.

"Yes!" Anna almost shouted. Emiko snickered at her. Anna raised an eyebrow at the demon.

"What?" she asked. It slowly came to her. "Wait a second!" Anna said. "You were going to help anyway, weren't you?" Emiko grinned at her.

"I just had to see how committed you were to do this," she said.

"And if I wasn't?" the other woman asked. Anna narrowed her eyes at her as the butch demon shrugged. Emiko patted the woman on the shoulder.

"So, let's see what Papa Kimoto has in his notes, shall we?" she said. Anna gave her a blank stare.

"Okay…" she said. Emiko rose to her feet.

"Come with me," she said. The butch demon disappeared down the hall. Anna suddenly had a bad feeling about this, but her curiosity got the better of her. She rose to her feet and followed behind.


	3. Best Friends

_Chapter Three: Best Friends:_

"Nobody sees me."

Asahi Sayako and Isobe Naomi grew up in different worlds. Sayako came from a rich family. She was attractive, bright, had a loving mother, respect from her peers, and was even the teachers' favorite. Most girls would envy the life that she led. Everyone called her the princess of Nagasaki.

Naomi came from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. Like Sayako, she was a bright girl, top of her classes, in fact. However, that was about it. Her mother was barely around and her classmates ignored her. Even Naomi's long-time crush looked past her. She was, in short, invisible.

So, how are Sayako and Naomi best friends? It started when they were eight. All of the kids were playing in a public playground in Nagasaki. Even then, Naomi was alone and spent her days watching the other kids play as she sat in the moss with her toys. She looked down at her plastic horses and sighed. Suddenly, emerald green eyes stared deep into her brown ones. The little girl jumped back, startled. The one with green eyes smiled at her.

"Waiting for someone?" she asked. Naomi shook her head.

"No," she said, and was given an odd look.

"Then why are you sitting out here by yourself?" the little girl asked. Naomi shrugged and lowered her eyes to her feet. The other girl sat down next to her and looked at her face with a bright smile. Naomi tilted her head.

"What?" she asked. The green eyed child giggled.

"You're funny," she said. Naomi stared at her.

"Huh?"

"I'm Sayako!" the little girl said, bowing.

"Naomi…" Naomi replied, uneasily. Sayako grinned as she leaned closer into her face.

"Let's be friends!" she said.

"Huh?" Naomi said again. Her new "friend" grabbed her by the wrists. The other little girl tried to grasp what was happening, but before she could speak, Sayako dragged Naomi onto the playground.

"Slow down!" the girl cried. "You're hurting me! Where are we going?" Sayako didn't listen; she kept running. The girl even laughed the whole time.

Sayako and Naomi looked rather odd together. Many wondered why they were friends in the first place. Naomi asked herself that question many times every day. She was grateful to have a friend that finally saw her, but still…

"Sayako," Naomi said in the girls' bathroom at their junior high school when they were twelve. Sayako put on her mascara in the mirror.

"Hm?" she asked. Her friend shuffled her feet next to her.

"Why exactly are we friends?" she asked. Sayako applied her lipstick as she glanced over at her friend.

"Say what now?" she asked. Naomi tried to put her words together before speaking.

"We have nothing in common," she pointed out. "You're highly popular in school and I'm a nobody. Everyone notices you more and we barely get any time together anymore."

"And?" Sayako asked.

"Why exactly are you and I friends in the first place?" her friend asked. The popular girl turned to her, smiling. She patted her on the shoulder.

"We just are," Sayako replied. Naomi gave her a strange look.

"That's it?" she asked.

"Yes," her friend answered with a glow in her eyes.

"Okay…" Naomi replied, with her eyes darting away from her. Sayako patted her on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's go," she said. "We have class."

"Yeah, of course," her friend said with an awkward smile. Naomi never questioned their friendship again after that. Not out aloud, anyway.

However lately, something changed. Naomi couldn't remember when it happened, but she hated it already. Sayako wasn't that oddly attractive girl that she met nine years ago. Naomi hoped that she was imagining things. She knew it was real but her innocent mind was trying to shield her from the truth. All doubts that she had before were laid to rest tonight.

Naomi was studying in her room when she heard a knock on her door. She didn't look up.

"Yes, mama?" the girl asked.

"It's me," a familiar voice croaked. Naomi froze this time.

"Sayako-chan?" she asked. The girl got up and opened her door a crack. Glassy panicked green eyes peeked inside. Naomi nearly jumped at the sight.

"Sayako-chan?" she asked. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Let me in!" her friend pleaded. "Please let me in!"

"Okay," the other girl said quickly. She opened the door wide enough to let her friend in. The shock of that night changed everything. Naomi's hopes that all of it being in her head instantly died.


	4. First Day of School

_Chapter Four: First Day of School:_

-Nagasaki #2 Case Begins-

The students of Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and High School gathered in the assembly auditorium. Today was the first day of school and Sayako and Naomi stood near the exit while many boys had their eyes on the former. Naomi tried to stomach being pushed off to the side. She had other reasons to worry, however. The headmaster walked onto the stage. All of the students looked forward as the headmaster cleared his throat.

"Welcome to Nagasaki Nihon University High," he greeted them. "To start the new school year, we have some new faculty members!" The curtain rose up behind him and all of the students beheld the new teachers. Eight males and two females total with Tsuzuki being the fourth guy in the line.

"I am Endo Asato," he introduced himself. "I will be teaching social studies." Hisoka stood among the crowd of students. He kept his eyes among his "peers." _The demon is in this school_, he thought. _It would be best to start with the students._ So far, he heard nothing out of the ordinary, just the talk and gossip of the summer. Hisoka focused eyes deeper into the crowd. He noticed Sayako and Naomi near the door. The senses began to change from there.

Hisoka eyed Sayako curiously as she stood like a hollow doll. _I can't feel anything from her_, he thought. His attention turned to Naomi. Hisoka felt her shaken nerves flow through him. Both girls held his attention from the vibes he got from them. Who should he question first? The headmaster took the stage again.

"I wish you students and staff the best!" he announced. "You are dismissed." The students broke away to go to their classes. Hisoka followed the two friends out of the auditorium. He fought his way through to keep up. _I can't lose them! _Hisoka reached out and caught a wrist. He looked up when he felt someone pause. Brown eyes stared at him. Hisoka gasped at the overpowering anxiety. Naomi looked on at him.

"Can I help you?" she asked. Hisoka took in heavy breaths. Images began flooding his head. Blood. A boy's body ripped to shreds. Looks of terror. Blood.

_What is this?_

"Hello?" Naomi asked.

A corpse-like woman with her mouth torn open and covered in blood. A boy's body with its neck completely broken. Two little girls dressed in white. Blood splashing over them. The girls holding hands in the sand.

"Are we still friend Sayako-chan?"

"Of course, silly!"

"Sayako-chan, what happened?" Blood washing everywhere. The images flashed fast in Hisoka's brain. The color drained from his face as his vision blurred. Naomi's mind filled with panic.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Hisoka's head began to swim. _I'm overloading!_ The shinigami sank into a sea of black.

A few minutes later, Hisoka awoke in a white-curtained room. His eyes trailed his surroundings.

"W-Where am I?" he murmured.

"Nurse's office," a small voice said. Hisoka looked over to his left. Naomi sat on his bed, inches from him.

"Hey," she whispered. The boy tried to sit up, but Naomi pushed him back down.

"Don't get up," she said. "You're still recovering." The shinigami froze and then lied back down. Naomi breathed out in relief.

"You okay?" she asked. "My name's Naomi by the way."

"I guess…" Hisoka replied. "What happened to me?"

"You grabbed onto my wrist, got sick and pale, and collapsed," Naomi explained. "Then, I brought you here." Hisoka slowly took it all in. It all came back to him and his eyes shot wide in panic as the color drained from him again.

"Hey, are you okay?" Naomi asked, freaking out. "Hey, hey." Hisoka grabbed onto the sheets, panting. _There is something evil about her!_

"Stay with me!" Naomi cried as she shook on him. "Hey, hey!" Hisoka finally calmed down. He slowly caught his breath.

"Don't scare me like that," Naomi wailed. Hisoka's eyes trailed over to her.

"You seem troubled about something," he spoke up. The girl looked up at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Her eyes welled up with worry.

"You look concerned about something," the boy explained. "What's on your mind?" Naomi tried to look away. She turned back, shaking her head and smiling.

"Nothing," the girl lied. "It's just school nerves." The look Hisoka's face said that he didn't believe her. Naomi's smile began to fade away and her eyes shifted. Hisoka gently touched her hand, but Naomi jerked it upwards.

"It's okay," Hisoka whispered. "I won't tell anybody." Naomi lowered her eyes as she pressed her lips together.

"Well… there is something wrong," she mumbled. She paused and shut her eyes. "With Sayako-chan," she said.

"Your friend?" Hisoka asked. Naomi slowly nodded.

"What about her?" her "classmate" asked. Naomi clenched her fists on the bed below.

"She's changed," she murmured. "She's changed and I don't like it." The shinigami tilted his head, intrigued.

"How do you mean?" Hisoka asked. Naomi shot up from the bed and backed away to the door.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I spoke too much!" Hisoka gave her a strange look.

"Naomi?" he asked.

"Forget I said anything!" the girl cried. "I am so sorry!" The girl bowed and ran out of the nurse's office as fast as she could. Hisoka watched as the door slid closed. _She's hiding something_, the boy thought.

Naomi ran into the hall when she felt her spine freeze up. She gasped startled as the feeling of cold needles pricked her body. "I didn't say anything, I swear!" the girl cried. The pain coiled in her throat. "I didn't tell him anything," Naomi pleaded. "Just let me go, please!" The pain twisted all the way up to her ears.

"He doesn't know anything!" she pleaded. "Please let me go! I won't say anything else, I swear! I swear!" Suddenly, the pain drew back. Naomi stood up straight and took in slow breaths. The gravity of normal became stable again. Once she recovered, Naomi walked to class.


	5. Phone Calls

_Chapter Five: Phone Calls:_

The taste of her creamy pale skin made him long for her.

The first day didn't turn up much on Tsuzuki's end either. He had both Sayako and Naomi in his class. The only exciting thing that happened was Naomi coming in late. However, he noticed that Hisoka wasn't with her.

"Excuse me, but where is my brother?" Tsuzuki asked.

"He collapsed earlier," Naomi said in the doorway. "So, I took him to the nurse's office."

"Is he okay?" the "teacher" asked.

"Yeah!" she replied. "He should be coming along soon." Tsuzuki nodded in relief.

"Okay, take a seat," he said. Naomi walked into the classroom and sat down next to Sayako in the middle. Tsuzuki continued with explaining the course to the class. Later, he needed to speak with Hisoka about what happened to him.

Tsuzuki and Hisoka went home to the house that Tatsumi rented for them on this case. It turned out to be a one-story with two bedrooms about five miles from the school. The house was a little better than the one in Kyoto—emphasis on "a little." Tsuzuki frowned when he saw the building.

"Here?" he asked. "You've got to be kidding me!" Hisoka shrugged as his partner walked up to the front door.

"Damn that Tatsumi!" he complained. "Cheapskate!" Still, it was somewhere to stay. Besides, Tsuzuki had other plans. The man timed himself through dinner and didn't speak while he ate. Hisoka knew what was going on and battled to stomach it better. The pain was still there, but duller now. His partner was happy and that was all that mattered. Tsuzuki lowered his chopsticks, smiling.

"I'm going to bed," he lied. Hisoka's face didn't change.

"Uh-huh," he said.

"'Night," the older shinigami said.

"Good night," Hisoka replied. Tsuzuki stood up, cleared his place at the table, and went away to his room. Hisoka sat alone and watched him. _Have fun_, he thought.

Once Tsuzuki made it back to his room, he got ready for bed and picked up his phone. The man dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?" a voice answered on the other line. Tsuzuki's heart did a flip.

"Anna-chan?" he asked.

"Asato-kun, how are you?" she asked, pleasantly surprised. Tsuzuki laid down on his futon.

"A little bored, and you?" he asked.

"I'm doing good," she answered. Tsuzuki felt himself smiling.

"I miss you," he said.

"You just saw me yesterday," Anna pointed out. The shinigami shook his head.

"No, I _really_ miss you," he repeated.

"What do you…?" his girlfriend began to ask. She paused when it became clear. "Oh… I see," she murmured with a hint of embarrassment in her tone. Tsuzuki licked his lips.

"Yes, I really do miss you," he said boldly. "Are you home now?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" Anna asked in a cheeky tone.

"Oh…" her boyfriend responded with a heavy breath.

"Asato-kun?" his girlfriend asked rather curious.

"Close your eyes for me," the shinigami commanded.

"What? Why?" Anna asked.

"Please do it?" her boyfriend asked.

"Fine," she said with a sigh. Tsuzuki paced himself on the other line.

"Are they closed?" he asked.

"Yes," Anna answered.

"Really?" the shinigami asked.

"Yes!" she insisted. Tsuzuki smiled at the where this was starting to go.

"Good," he purred. "My hands are all over your breasts."

"Okay," she said.

"Feel, not think for this, okay?" Tsuzuki asked. "You have to promise me that you will."

"Alright," Anna answered.

"Good," the shinigami said as he settled back into the mood. "I'm rubbing on your breasts slowly right now."

"Mmm," his girlfriend murmured.

"I'm reaching to the front of your shirt," Tsuzuki in a low voice. "I want to slowly take apart each button one by one." He kept feel himself stirring awake in his sleeping pants. He crossed his legs and made himself focus. Anna felt herself trembling in Tokyo.

"Yes," she moaned.

"My hands slowly disappear into your open shirt," her boyfriend added. "I pinch your nipples in a playful way while I slowly kiss on your neck."

"And then what?" the woman asked on the other line. Tsuzuki slowly closed his eyes into the fantasy. His smile deepened as he heard her heavily breathing on the other line. _Good, she's enjoying this!_ The shinigami drew in a deep breath.

"I slowly pull off your shirt and kiss your bare shoulders," he continued.

"Yes!" Anna moaned aloud.

"Lifting your hair to kiss your nape," Tsuzuki added. "I reach around and play with your breasts."

"Ooo!" she squealed into the phone. Tsuzuki braced himself for the next part. His stiff hard-on ached for attention.

"My hands slide down your waist to your hips and grab onto your pants and I slowly pull the bow apart," he continued in a husky voice.

"Oh, yes!" his girlfriend moaned so loud that Tsuzuki had to hold the phone away from his ear.

"I gently slide down your pants and softly stick my hand down into your panties," he told her.

"Tell me more!" Anna begged happily. As he spoke, Tsuzuki noticed that phone sex thing wasn't as fulfilling as actually doing it with Anna. He ached to taste her soft pale skin, hear her moan in person, feel her wet warmth around his hard length. However, Tsuzuki would have to wait for his "reward."

"You know," he spoke up. "I really wish I could do all of these things to you right now."

"But we are," Anna said.

"No, I mean in person," the shinigami corrected her.

"Ah, I see," she said. "We will soon." Tsuzuki pressed his lips together and nodded.

"I know," he said sounding slightly disappointed. His mood changed back to a sexy one. "Do you want to continue?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Sure," Anna replied. Her boyfriend chuckled.

"Anything you like," the shinigami said. Across the hall, Hisoka lied in bed as he listened to his partner talk dirty on the phone to his girlfriend.

_They'll be at it all night_, he thought, shaking his head.


	6. The Brave Front

_Chapter Six: The Brave Front:_

-December 27th, 1977-

Kato sat in his living room looking at Midori's old hand-made Christmas cards. Each one had cute little kitty cats with Santa hats on the cover. She drew little pigs with party hats for his birthday. Midori never did learn how to draw anything else. Still, those cats and pigs became Kato's joy year after year. Looking at those cards now made his heart hurt around this time. The old man's thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. He looked up and saw Kyoko walking in from the kitchen with a tray of tea.

"You looked like you needed it," she said. He waved the tray over to the table without a single word. His friend set it down likewise as the old man moved his cards.

"Cute cards," Kyoko spoke up.

"Yeah," Kato mumbled. The woman poured him some tea.

"Riku made me a Christmas card this year," she said. "It's still on my refrigerator."

"Ah," her friend said. Kyoko poured herself some tea.

"Funny," she said. "Eleven months and I don't know you." Kato glanced at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. His friend shrugged as she shook her head.

"You haven't told me about your home or family." Kyoko pressed her lips together as she picked up her cup. _Still not the right time, I guess_, she thought.

"Midori," Kato answered. Kyoko glanced up at him.

"Hm?" she asked.

"My daughter's name was Midori," the former priest said. Kyoko tilted her head at him.

"What was she like?" his friend asked. Kato lowered the four Christmas cards in front of him.

"You have to promise me," he said.

"Promise you what?" Kyoko asked. Kato looked up at her with desperate eyes as he leaned in across the table.

"Stay by me no matter what," he pleaded. "Promise me that!" Kyoko gave him a sharp nod.

"Okay," she said.

-September 2nd, 2009-

Kyoko sat on the stuffy grey couch in Kato's abandoned living room. Everything was still in place; like it was waiting for him to come home. She shook her head. _No_, the old woman thought. _He's never coming home._ A knock came on the door, causing to Kyoko look up.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"The landlady," a voice shouted outside. "I need to talk to the owner of this apartment!"

"Coming," Kyoko said. She got up and walked to the door. The old woman opened it a crack.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Is Kato-san in?" the landlady asked in puzzled tone.

"No, he isn't," Kyoko answered, shaking her head. The landlady couldn't understand what was going on at first.

"Okay," she said. "When can I see him?" Kyoto bit her lower lip.

"May I ask why?" she asked.

"I need to speak with to him," the landlady repeated. "This is rather important.

"I can give him a message," Kyoko said quickly in an attempt to end this conversation.

"When can I see him?" the other old lady asked. Kyoko dropped her shoulders and sighed.

"Okay, look," she said at last. "Kato-san has been taking care of a sick friend in the countryside these past few months. I'm just managing his apartment while he's out." She bit her lower lip, waiting for a response.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" the landlady asked.

"Well, he said that you would understand," the other woman answered sheepishly as she shuffled her feet. _Come on, say something, damn it! Anything!_ The landlady thought about her options.

"You said you would take a message, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kyoko said in a small voice.

"Tell him that utilities and rent are due this month and there will be an inspector coming by the apartment in two weeks," the landlady said. "Oh, and we're having a tea party in the lobby this week."

"Anything else?" Kyoko asked, nodding. The landlady dug in her brain for anything else to tell Kato. When nothing came to her, she shook her head.

"No," the landlady said.

"Okay," the other old lady said. "See ya."

"Bye," the landlady said before she turned and left. Once she could no longer hear footsteps, Kyoko breathed out in relief. This game kept getting harder to play. Kato lived as a recluse in the apartment. The landlady tried to invite him out to the apartment's social gatherings, but Kato had always refused. He hadn't contacted the old village in a long time. The only time Kato left his apartment was to pay the bills and shop for groceries. Kyoko did such a good job maintaining the apartment that no one noticed that something was off.

The old woman sighed. People in the apartment started to ask questions. Kyoko could only use the same answers so many times. Pretty soon, more questions would follow. Soon, she would have to face Anna for the first time in years. Kyoko shook her head.

_No, I can't tell her yet_, she thought. _He doesn't want me to._ _I have to keep up this longer. After she stops her family for good, I'll tell her the truth_, Kyoko thought. She looked around at Kato's living room and sighed. Luckily for her, Kato made it a little easier to play, but not by much. Five months and Anna didn't know the truth.


	7. Hotaru's New Friend

_Chapter Seven: Hotaru's New Friend:_

_September 3rd, 2009._

For three whole days Hotaru sat in the park, pouting. She and Emiko still weren't talking. They got into an argument and she stormed out. Since then, the ladies avoided each other around the house. To an outsider, it all looked pretty childish. Hotaru sighed and shook her head.

_Why were we even fighting?_ Hotaru looked up at the sky. _So stupid, I'm lonely._ Suddenly, the loli demon sensed someone nearby. She moved her head and saw a young man standing in front of her. Hotaru narrowed her eyes at him. He looked nice with his deep brown hair and dressed in a gray business suit and dark blue tie.

"Uh… can I help you?" Hotaru asked, blinking.

"What's wrong?" the young man asked her.

Hotaru found herself thrown off by his high-pitched voice. "Hm?"

"You look sad," the young man said. "What's on your mind?" Hotaru shook her head.

"Nothing big," she replied.

"Oh," the man said. "Fight with your lover?" Hotaru pressed her lips together as she nodded.

"Yeah…" Her tone trailed off as she missed Emiko's touch.

"That bad?" he asked. The loli demon nodded and looked away as the man sat down next to her. Her acquaintance shuffled his feet.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"Okay," he replied.

Hotaru looked at him. "Then, what do you want?"

The young man shrugged at her. "Not much." He stuck out his hand.

"Tajizawa Saito," the man introduced himself with this name.

"Hotaru," the loli demon answered, stating her own hand. She slowly took his hand and shook it. Ice ran through her fingers at his touch before he gently let go. Hotaru gave him a puzzled look.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked. Saito shrugged at her.

"I like the city," he said.

Hotaru nodded at him rather uncertain. "Ah."

Saito noticed the look on her face. "You look lonely."

The loli demon gave him a puzzled look. "Hm? Oh yeah, well…"

"Your lover?" he asked. The loli demon nodded before looking away again.

Saito looked intrigued at his potential new friend. "What's he like?"

"She," Hotaru corrected.

Saito gave her an odd look. "So you're…"

Hotaru shook her head as she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"She's the only woman I've been with."

"You were with men before her?"

Hotaru shuffled her feet. "Yeah…"

Saito leaned in closer with peeked interest. "What happened?"

"Well…" Hotaru shook her head. "I met his wife…" Her mind retreated back into its old dark hole as her mind replayed her murder over and over.

It had been a set-up from the beginning. Hotaru received a note in 1966. She had been so excited the whole day at the department store where she worked at the time. Her co-workers knew about her lover. However, they also knew about his jealous wife. The last six weeks had been hell on Hotaru. The wife had been sending her many anonymous threats in the mail. Hotaru asked her lover if he was really married and the weasel of a man denied the accusations.

"They are just trying to extort us for their own greed," he kept saying. "I'll fix it myself." Like a sucker, Hotaru believed every word from his lying tongue. Her co-workers tried to talk sense into her. Sadly, love blinded her. That day proved to be her downfall.

Hotaru decided to go out for lunch early to meet with her lover. Her boss and co-workers warned her not to go out. "It'll be okay," Hotaru said. "I'll try to stay out in public and call you when I make it there safely." Then, she was off.

Hotaru never made that phone call. She went to the love hotel as planned. She expected to see her lover waiting for her in their usual room overlooking Tokyo. Instead, the naïve woman found her lover's wife sitting on the bed, looking like she wanted some blood. Hotaru's mind went into panic. The next moments shot by quick. The wife tackled the mistress to the ground and raised the iron high above her head…

Hotaru's tears trailed down her white cheeks.

"So stupid!" she cursed herself. "I should have seen the signs!" Someone patted her on the shoulders. Hotaru glanced up and saw Saito smiling at her. He leaned his head in close to her.

"It's okay," he whispered. Hotaru only looked at him. Somehow, she felt safe with this charming, young stranger. It felt like the same moments long ago when she was with her married lover.


	8. Last Night's Rumors

_Chapter Eight: Last Night's Rumors:_

They found another body last night.

The next morning brought more gossip and rumors to Nagasaki Nihon University High. Last night, another murder took place. The victim was a popular senior named Ono Ichigo. The student body described him as the jock type who was quite a ladies' man. All of the girls had crushes on him. He constantly was on many dates. Perhaps one of them was his last?

Tsuzuki was walking to his class when he spotted two junior girls talking about last night. Curious, he approached them in the hall.

"Excuse me," he spoke up. The girls went quiet as they noticed him. Tsuzuki stopped in front of them.

"What's going on here?" he asked. Their faces looked rather sheepish. One girl shuffled her feet.

"There was another murder last night," she said.

"Another murder?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Yeah," the second girl said.

"What happened?" the "teacher" asked. The students looked around for a beat.

"Not here," the first girl whispered. The three went into an empty classroom. They sat at the desks.

"Okay," Tsuzuki said. "What is this about?"

"Last night, Ichigo went out on a date," the first girl said. "When he didn't come home this morning, his mom called the cops."

"They found his body floating in the pond outside the city," the other girl said. She went pale at her words.

"What happened?" Tsuzuki asked. The girls swallowed and looked down at the desks.

"His body was ripped to shreds," the first one said. "His stomach was ripped out, neck snapped in two, spine broken, and his penis…" They broke down trembling while Tsuzuki eyed them.

"That bad?" he asked, pondering this new information. "And this isn't the first time this happened?"

"No," the girls said.

Tsuzuki looked at them with peeked interest. "When?"

"Over the summer," the first girl said. "The boys go to this student bar called Kiko's and turn up dead."

"I see," Tsuzuki replied. "Were they all on dates?"

"Most of them," the second girl said. "Two of them went alone and were picked up."

"Picked up by who?" the shinigami asked.

"Asahi-senpai," the both said in a whisper.

Naomi sat in her homeroom. The girl felt her hands trembling as her classmates talked again. _Calm down! They don't know the details. Just don't say a word._ The wave came back again. Naomi held onto her stomach. _I think I'm going to be sick!_

Suddenly, someone touched her on the shoulder. Naomi spun around startled.

"What?" she cried out. A boy with glasses eyed her with a concerned look.

"It's only me," he said. Naomi stared, silence.

"Oh," she said. "It's you, Jun." The boy smiled at her.

"Of course it is," he said. "Who else would it be?" Jun sat down next to her. "What's the matter?" he asked. Naomi shook her head.

"Oh come on," he said. "Smile, it looks better on you." His old friend forced herself to do so.

"There you go!" Jun said. Naomi felt a little better now. Jun propped his elbows on the desk.

"Rough night yesterday, huh?" he asked. Naomi froze up.

"Yes," she said slowly.

Jun tried to count up on his fingers. "How many guys is that now?"

"Nine."

"Damn, nine bodies over the summer and the start of the school year. That's so wrong."

Naomi felt sick all over again. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Oh? Are you okay?"

"No!" Naomi got up and ran to the bathroom.

"Naomi-chan?" he asked. She didn't hear him after the door closed behind her.

Naomi buried her head deep into the toilet. She felt all of her impurities leave her body in one flush. When she was finished, Naomi sat back, panting. The attacks were getting more frequent as her hunger grew worse. She tightly shut her eyes. _This can't go on_, she thought. Naomi had no real power. It was the one with the strings in its bloody hands. She shook her head.

_No! This can't keep on! I have to end this madness! _A knock on the stall door interrupted her thoughts.

"What?" she croaked.

"Are you done in there?" a voice asked outside. Naomi wiped away the remaining vomit from her mouth.

"Yeah," she said. "Hang on." The senior rose to her feet and opened the stall door. A junior girl gave her a puzzled look.

"Are you okay, senpai?" she asked. Naomi nodded.

"Yeah," she lied. "I am now." The junior watched as Naomi walked to class. The senior kept her eyes low the whole time. _Sayako-chan…_


	9. Kiko's Trap

_Chapter Nine: Kiko's Trap:_

During lunch, Tsuzuki and Hisoka teleported to Kiko's for further investigation. The bar only ran at nights and looked like a typical teenage clubhouse. The boys looked inside and saw that one bar tender was cleaning the counters.

"Think we can talk with them?" Tsuzuki asked.

"We'll have to see," his young partner replied. Hisoka moved to the front door and knocked on the glass. He could feel the heavy music vibrating through the glass. The bar tender inside looked up and saw him.

"What do you want?" he mouthed. The man walked over to the door and opened it.

"We're closed!" he yelled over the pounding music from inside. "Come back at seven!"

"We're here to ask your some questions about last night!" Tsuzuki yelled. The man frowned.

"Oh that," the man shouted with a frown. The bar tender moved aside to let them in. "Heads Will Roll" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs blared in the air.

"Does it have to be so loud?" Tsuzuki yelled. The bar tender pulled out his remote and flipped the music off.

"Now," he said. "What about last night?" The boys sat down at the bar.

"What happened?" Hisoka asked.

"Not much, just the usual stuff," he said.

"Was Ichigo here last night?" the boy asked.

"Yes," the bar tender answered.

"Was he with anyone?" the older shinigami asked. The bar tender pondered his question.

"Now that you mention it," he replied with unease. "He was with someone last night." The boys leaned with intent.

"Who?" Hisoka asked. "Try to remember!" The bar tender thought about that question harder. An image began to build up in his head.

"Ichigo was with a pretty girl," he said. "Such a looker too; long black wavy hair and stunning blue eyes. She didn't talk much though."

"Does the girl have a name?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Sayako," he replied. Tsuzuki and Hisoka froze at the realization with that name popping up in this case.

"Has she been here before?" the younger shinigami asked.

"Yeah," the bar tender said. "She's here almost every night with a new boy."

"Did Sayako and Ichigo leave together last night?" Hisoka asked.

"Yeah," the witness answered.

"Any idea where they went afterwards?" Tsuzuki asked. The bar tender shrugged.

"Somewhere to have sex," he replied. "I don't know. I only serve the drinks here." Tsuzuki nodded.

"I see," he said. "Thank you for your time."

"Glad to help," Tsuzuki answered. With that, the boys left the bar.

"What do you think?" Hisoka asked his partner. Tsuzuki considered their options.

"Sayako's name keeps popping up in this case over and over again," he said. "We'll have to talk to her." Hisoka began to remember his encounter with Naomi yesterday. She seemed to be hiding something about her friend. Could it be about this?

"Right," Hisoka replied. "We also need to talk to Naomi." His partner gave him an odd look.

"Naomi?" he asked. "Why her?" Hisoka glanced up at him.

"I think she's involved in this somehow," he replied.


	10. Bitter Twist

_Chapter Ten: Bitter Twist:_

_He's really gone?_

Anna walked over to Wisteria House on the same morning and knocked on the door four times. She looked around at the dying vines as she waited. The brown wrinkled leaves looked nice in a rather odd way.

"Coming!" Emiko croaked. Anna's attention returned forward when she heard the door open. She looked as if she had just woken up.

"Yeah?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. Anna blinked at her wildly unkempt hair.

"Is this a bad time?" The butch demon looked and perked up.

"Oh, Anna," she said. "It's you, come in!" The women bowed before Anna went inside. She looked around the dim living room.

"Where's Hotaru?" she asked.

Emiko only shrugged. "Dunno; she wasn't in bed this morning." Anna raised an eyebrow at her.

"You two made up?" she asked. Emiko shook her head.

"Not really," she said.

"Not really?" Anna asked her. The butch demon shrugged at her.

"It's complicated," Emiko said. "I woke up in the middle of the night and found her snuggled up close to me in the bed. She looked like she had been crying."

Anna looked on at her. "Oh." After a beat, she clapped her hands together. "Right, do you have my notes translated?"

"Oh," Emiko said. "Yeah, yeah; hang on." Anna watched as she disappeared down the hall. The butch demon reemerged with the copies in her hand.

"Here you are," she said in a chipper voice. "Papa Daisuke's notes fully translated. Enjoy!" Anna read over them briefly with a puzzled look on her face.

"This is it?" she asked. Emiko shook her head.

"There is more, but…" she said.

"But what?" Anna asked.

The butch demon shook her head. "That was all you gave me."

Anna gave her a blank stare. "What do you mean?"

"That was in the boxes you gave me."

The other woman shook her head in disbelief. "That can't be! Papa kept everything. He didn't like to forget anything!"

Emiko pondered the situation at hand. "You think he hid the notes elsewhere?"

Anna searched her mind for the answer. "I do remember Papa leaving some boxes with Kato-san."

"And do you know where Kato-san is now?"

Anna shook her head. "I haven't talked to him since May."

"Does your father have his number?"

"I don't know."

"Hm…" Emiko glanced at Anna. "Is he close to anyone?"

"There was someone. Yes, her name was Iijiri-san."

"Does she have a number?"

"I think so, hang on." Anna dashed all the way home. She came back with Daisuke's old address book.

"It should be in here," she said. Emiko and Anna scanned the numbers.

"Here it is!" Anna exclaimed. "She should still be in the old village!"

"Well give her a call," Emiko said. Anna had her phone out, grinning.

"Already on it," she said. The woman dialed the number and held the phone to her ear. She waited as the other line rang. Emiko listened in close.

"Well?" she asked. Anna frowned as she shook her head.

"No good," she said. "She's not picking up."

"What about the other neighbors?" Emiko asked. Anna began going down the list. Eight numbers later, she had the answer. One of the old neighbors told Anna where Kato-san lived. She wrote down the information on a piece of paper and headed out.

The trip to the apartment took about twenty minutes into the city. Despite the offers, Anna wanted to go alone.

"He wouldn't know you," she reasoned. "Besides, I have to ask him a few things."

"Fair enough," the butch demon said. "Just be careful." Anna heeded her advice every step of the way, all the way to the front door. She stood in front of apartment 319. It felt weird because she hadn't seen or heard from the man in months. What could she say to him? The woman had to worry about that later. She drew herself together and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" a muffled voice asked.

"I'm here to see Kato-san," Anna answered. "It's really important." The door opened a crack and a pair of tired grey eyes peeked out. Anna looked really confused.

"Is Kato-san in?" she asked.

"No," the old woman said.

"When will he be in? It's real important. I need to talk to him about some boxes Papa left with him. Please, I have to know." When the door opened wider, Anna didn't recognize the person standing before her.

"Uh… who are you?" she asked. The woman looked closer at Anna and widened her eyes.

"Anna?" she asked. "Anna, is that you?" The younger woman tilted her head.

"Should I know you?" she asked. Kyoko gave her a little smile. She leaned into the other woman's ear.

"I used to hide you under my kitchen island when you didn't want to go home yet during the summer," she whispered. Anna's mind shot back into realization.

"Iijiri-san?" she gasped. Kyoko stepped back.

"It's been so long," she said.

"What are you doing here?" Anna asked as she tried to look around inside of the apartment. "Where's Kato-san?" She noticed a look of worry cast over Kyoko's face.

"Iijiri-san?" she asked. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Kato-san?" The other woman trembled. Why couldn't she tell the lie that she had told everyone else about Kato? She had it down so well. Why wasn't it coming out with Anna?

"I need those boxes, Iijiri-san!" Anna pleaded. "Tell when Kato-san is coming back! Please, I have to know!" Kyoko finally shut her eyes and shook her head.

"He can't!" she yelled. Anna raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "What happened?" Kyoko lowered her head as her lower lip trembled.

"He's dead," she whimpered. Anna gave her a surprised look.

"What?" she asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"I'm so sorry, Iwao," she murmured. The old woman looked up at Anna.

"Come in," Kyoko mumbled. "We have to talk." She walked back into the apartment.

"Okay…" Anna mumbled as she followed behind and shut the door.


	11. See Me!

_Chapter Eleven: See Me!:_

-Naomi-

Fukuda Jun; he's been there for me since we were eight. He's the only boy who notices me. I met him after I met Sayako.

Sayako-chan was sick with the flu that day. I went out to the playground alone. I did what I normally did before I met Sayako. The other kids looked so happy playing with their friends. I had always dreamt of playing along with them, but I didn't know how to interact with other kids. That's when I met him.

Jun was a skinny kid then, just like he is now. He still had those glasses too. He had lost something then. I think it was a cat or maybe a puppy. I can't fully remember, but that's how he approached me.

"Excuse me," I heard him say. "Can you help me?" I thought I was hearing things at first. I looked and saw this skinny boy with a round face and big glasses. I have to admit that he did look rather cute.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I lost my pet," he said. "Can you help me find him?" I didn't know what it was about him then, but I felt so close to him without trying. I rose to my feet before him.

"Okay," I said. That boy smiled at me.

"Thank you," he said with a bow. We went off to find his pet. I don't remember if we found it or not. I didn't care to be honest; I was just happy to have a new friend. From there, Sayako, Jun, and I became close friends.

However, I have a problem now. I have come to love Jun, love him with every breath of my being. He… I lowered my head at my desk. Jun doesn't see me that way. He has eyes for Sayako-chan. Normally, I wouldn't mind, but I can't ignore it this time. Jun is in danger and if he goes out with Sayako…

I shook my head, trembling. _No! I don't want Jun-kun to die! I… I… I love him too much for that!_ I buried my head in my hands. What am I going to do? He won't listen to me about Sayako anymore. She's an angel in his eyes. Nothing negative about her will get through. It's not just that. Even if Sayako-chan was out of the picture, someone else would try and steal Jun-kun away from me! I stared up at my ceiling.

I don't know; I just don't want to end up invisible to Jun-kun as well. I'm tired of being unnoticed. It was okay before that night Sayako came to my room. Now, I can't risk losing Jun-kun to Sayako or death! I lowered my head on my school desk.

I don't know what to do.


	12. Eros' Warning

_Chapter Twelve: Eros' Warning:_

Anna walked home in shock with the box held tightly in her arms. The sudden news hadn't worn off yet. _Kato-san is dead?_ The conversation lingered in her head.

Kyoko led Anna inside while the younger woman gave her a serious look.

"What's going on?" Anna asked. "How did Kato-san die? When did it happen?" Kyoko sat down, pale and trembling. She clenched her hands into fists on the coffee table.

"I don't know the details," she said. "I just got the letter." The old woman reached into her jacket and pulled it out. Anna took the piece of paper and read it. The woman shook her head.

"I don't believe it," she said. "Where is the body?"

"The morgue," Kyoko said.

"How did he die?"

The old lady shook her head. "I don't know."

Anna sat down on the other side of the coffee table. "And the e-mails?"

Kyoko lowered her head. "Me and him."

Anna tilted her head at her. "But why?"

Kyoko shook her head. "I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"He told me not to tell you."

Anna frowned, trying to take it all in. "He's dead. He's really dead."

The old lady lifted her head, nodding. "Yes."

"Whoa…" Anna turned to Kyoko. "What happens now?"

"Be careful, I guess?" the old lady suggested. Anna lowered her shoulders.

"Do you know where he kept Papa's boxes?" she asked. Kyoko rose to her feet.

"Follow me," she said. The old woman headed out of the apartment with Anna following behind.

Anna currently found herself at a loss. _Kato-san is dead? It can't be._ _Did he die trying to help me against my family? If so, did Haruka kill him? Or did she get someone else to do it?_ Her thoughts came to a halt when Anna felt someone grab her from behind. The woman cried out as a soft, heavy hand covered her mouth. She fought back in vain, but found herself dragged into an alley.

"Let me go!" she yelled through the muzzle. Despite her attempts to get free, the assailant wouldn't let up.

"Shhh," a male's voice whispered. "I won't hurt you." Anna glanced up over her head. A pair of golden eyes stared down at her.

"Why should I trust you?" she hissed under the hand. The eyes leaned in with a young-looking face. Anna looked angry and puzzled.

"Who the hell are you?" she snapped. The man with the boyish face shushed her again.

"I am called Eros," he whispered. "I am a shinigami bounty hunter." Anna's eyes widened as she tried to escape again, but Eros held her in place.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not here for your soul. I only have a message for you." He took his hand from her mouth. Anna narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why should I believe you?" she asked.

"Because Tsuzuki-san and his partner are about to kill an innocent," Eros said without any emotion in his voice.

"Asato?" Anna asked. "Why would he?" Eros let her stand on her own.

"They are investigating the murders in Nihon University Junior and High," he said.

"Yeah," Anna said, whirling around. "Asato told me yesterday."

"A demon is behind the killings."

"I know that. Asato told me. What else is new?"

Eros looked deep into Anna's eyes. "They have the wrong suspect."

The woman looked at him with big eyes. "What did you say?"

"My partner thinks the same thing and is going to kill the girl in question."

Anna took it all in while blinking. "Okay… but why are you telling me this? Why me? What do I say to them?"

Eros's calm demeanor never changed as they spoke. "Just be careful and tell them the one they seek is not the demon."

"Then… who is?" she asked. Eros shook his head.

"There is no more time for questions," he said. "Just go to Nagasaki and stop the lamb's blood from being spilled!"

"But what about my box?" Anna asked. The woman looked around her to find that Eros already vanished.

"Hey, where did you go?" she asked. Anna stood still as she closed her mouth. She still had her doubts, but her curiosity made the thought about buying a ticket to Nagasaki settle in her mind.


	13. You Were Born to Bare a Heavy Load

_Chapter Thirteen: You Were Born to Bare a Heavy Load:_

-Nagasaki-

Anna glanced at her surroundings in the busy noon city. _This is where Asato-kun and Hisoka work, huh?_ Hours earlier, Anna dropped off the box with Emiko, went home, packed up her things, and headed out to the train station. However, she found herself quick to reason with her doubts.

_This is just a surprise visit_, she told herself repeatedly. _I am only here to see Asato-kun for one night and then maybe I'll leave by this afternoon_. Anna looked up at the town clock. _Still noon_, she thought._ Gives me time to check in and study Papa's notes._ Anna picked up her luggage and began heading out.

She checked into a nice hotel under the alias of Niwa Midori. Anna got a nice room over-looking the city. Once settled, she looked at her phone. _Should I call Asato-kun and tell him I'm here?_ Her eyes fixed on the number. One little button to strike up a conversation. Anna closed her phone in the end.

_I'm supposed to surprise him_, she thought. _Calling him would give it away._ The woman put down her phone. "I should study those notes," Anna said to herself. The woman turned to her bag and pulled the notes out. She lied back on the bed and started reading.

Around dinner time, Anna looked at her phone. _What do I want to eat? Room service or go out?_

Anna took in the Nagasaki evening air with each step. _It's so different from Tokyo air for some reason_, she thought. Tonight was a sushi night and so Anna looked around for a cheap place to eat. She found one near her hotel. Anna sat by the window and ate her dinner. As she shoved trout into her mouth, she noticed something outside across the street.

"Hey," Anna spoke up. The guy behind the counter lifted his head.

"Hm?" he asked.

"What is that over there?" the woman asked. The cook looked out the window and saw Kiko's across the street.

"Oh that? That's just Kiko's," he answered.

Anna gave him a rather curious look. "What is it?"

"It's just a student bar."

"A student bar?"

"A juice bar for the students in the city."

Anna nodded after some thought. "I see."

The man chuckled as he cut more fish. "Don't tell me you want to go."

Anna lowered her cup with a smirk. "You know, I just might."

The cook behind the counter looked up at her with eyebrow raised. "Seriously?"

"Why not?"

He shrugged at her and got to work on the next round of sushi. "Nothing, it's all you."

Anna bowed her head. "Thank you." She paid her tab and headed out the door.

Loud dance music pounded in her ears. Anna covered them as she observed her surroundings. This place looked like a college bar. _Just like California_, she thought with a frown. She made her way over to the bar and the bar tender gave her an odd look.

"Aren't you a little too old to be here?" he asked. Anna tried to make herself smile. She did feel out of place here; just like she did in any bar in San Diego. She shook her head.

"Nah, I'm just checking things out," she said.

"Ah," he said. "Care for a drink?"

Anna leaned in close with peeked interest. "What do you have?"

"Juice."

"What kind of juice?"

"Apple, mango splash, tomato, sparkling apple, ginger, and the special: wild berry," the bar tender listed off.

"I'll take a sparkling apple, please," Anna said.

"Coming up," he replied. The bar tender got right to work. Anna took a look around as she waited. The high school students all over the place made her feel really old now. Anna shut her eyes and shook her head.

_Why am I here?_ It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now…

Suddenly, Anna noticed someone sitting next to her. The woman looked and saw a skinny kid with big glasses, staring at her. She blinked at him.

"Well, hello," Anna said. "Can I help you?" The boy gave her an excited smile.

"You look nice," he said quickly.

"Thank you…" she said, awkwardly. He scooted in closer to her.

"You doing anything later?" the boy asked rather nervous.

Anna's eyes shifted a bit. "Why?" The boy looked behind him, turned back to his target, and grabbed her hands.

"Date me!" he pleaded. "I think you're hot." Anna looked confused.

"Wait, are you hitting on me?" she asked. The boy's face turned bright red.

"Yeah… uh… no… uh… kind of… I don't know!" he stammered out. The boy lowered his head in disappointment. Anna chuckled at him.

"I'm too old for you and I already have a boyfriend," she replied in an attempt to let him down easily. The boy turned to the bar with his head down.

"Figures," he mumbled. "You wouldn't go out with someone like me. I can't get a date if my life depended on it." Anna looked at him in pity.

"Don't say that," she said. The boy shook his head.

"Oh god," he mumbled. "This was so stupid of me." The boy looked up at Anna.

"I can never get the girl I want," he said. Anna gave him an odd look.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I've had a crush on this girl ever since I was twelve," he said. "She never notices me, though. She's one of those popular kids in my school. She's smart, beautiful, and really nice- almost like you."

"Uh-huh," Anna said, listening in.

"She's here tonight, with a date."

Anna looked around the bar. "Where?" He pointed further down the bar. Anna looked and saw a dark-haired girl with a senior boy. She was laughing and enjoying herself over their drinks as she twirled her locks with her fingers. He kissed the girl on the neck and she giggled again. Anna looked back at the boy with her as he softly sighed to himself.

"She is so pretty," he murmured. The woman blinked at him.

"Okay…" she said. "So, why hit on me if you like her so much?"

The boy shrugged at her. "I don't know, trying to make her jealous or something. Pretty dumb, I know." Anna looked on in pity.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Jun," the boy said. "Fukuda Jun." The woman smiled at him.

"Midori," Anna lied. "I'm Niwa Midori." Jun took another sip of his drink. Anna picked up her own drink as the bar tender came back with her juice. _This boy needs a little guidance in love_, she thought. She could stay in Nagasaki a little bit longer.


	14. Lonely Girl

_Chapter Fourteen: Lonely Girl:_

-Naomi-

Jun-kun looked happy today; I almost don't like it. Yes, I am happy that he is happy, but it's for the wrong reasons. I noticed it on our way to school.

"Jun-kun," I said at our usual pick-up spot. He glanced over at me.

"Hm?" he asked.

I shuffled my feet. "How was your night?"

He turned to me, grinning, "Great!"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah…" I only smiled to keep down the pain. I wanted to tell him, "Jun-kun, I love you." However, that would be too weird. I don't even know how Jun-kun would take it.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Hm?" I asked. "Oh, just the usual."

"Studying?" he asked. I laughed.

"You know me too well," I said. Jun patted me on the head.

"You're so cute," he said. I giggled at him. Those moments were the only time I felt happy. I could nearly forget about Sayako.

A red sports car pulled up to us at the bus stop. Sayako and her mom sat inside looking like royalty like they always did every single morning. Her mother smiled at us.

"Hey Naomi-chan, Jun-kun," she said. "How are you?"

"Good," Jun said. I nodded at her. My crush and I got into the car. Sayako looked at us from the passenger seat.

"You buckled up?" she asked.

"Yeah," we said. My friend turned to her mother.

"Let's go," she said. Her mom drove us to school.

As we all rode to school, my mind wandered back to last night. Sayako did it again; it was a guy in our class this time. I try not to think about it often. My attention went back to Jun. He made things worse. _If he ended up on a date with Sayako…_

I shuddered as I looked out the window at the passing scenery.

"Something wrong?" I heard someone ask. I about leapt out of my seat. Sayako's mom looked in the rear mirror at me.

"Did a spider crawl on you or something?" she asked. I quickly shook my head.

"No, no," I lied. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yes, Asahi-san," I replied. Asahi-didn't answer.

"Okay…" she said. I breathed out once I sensed that the tense died down. Sayako's mom doesn't know the truth. I can't tell her about what I saw that night; no one can know. School went on without incident. The whispering wasn't as bad as it usually was, but I had to get away.

During lunch, I wandered around the yard of the school. My skin felt numb to the autumn sun. Jun went to go eat lunch with the popular kids. This had turned into a habit of his. I don't like it; I'll end up invisible to him soon. But what can I do? I just want him to be happy, but what of me?

I was wandering to the school gardens when a flash of brown caught my eyes. I looked and saw a woman walking towards the campus. She didn't look Japanese, not that fully anyway. I almost felt jealous looking at her. She reminded me of Sayako in a good way. However, I couldn't understand what this woman was doing here. Maybe she's lost?

I noticed the woman walking towards me as fast as she could. I stayed where I was as she approached me.

"Excuse me," she said."Do you know where the main office is?"

"On the ground floor in the main building to your left," I said. "Why?" The woman gave me a little smile.

"I just wanted to surprise my boyfriend with lunch today," she said. The woman held up a bento to display. I looked at the food with big eyes.

"Did you make this?" I asked. The woman giggled.

"No, I bought it on the way here," she said.

"Don't you cook?" I asked.

"Nah," she said. "I never really learned how to cook a home cooked meal and my boyfriend can't cook to save his life." The woman nodded as she gave me an awkward smile. "So yeah," she said. "We're screwed." I gave her a puzzled look.

"Why can't you cook?" I asked.

"Too busy to learn," she said. The woman eyed me with intent. "What about you?" she asked. "Do you cook bento boxes for your boyfriend?" I sadly shook my head.

"No," I said. "I don't have a boyfriend." I noticed the woman eyeing me like I was a lost little orphan child.

"What's wrong?" she asked. I didn't speak. She leaned in close to me.

"Want to talk about it?" the woman asked. I looked at her with wide, blank eyes.

"But… I don't even know your name," I said. The woman smiled at me.

"Niwa Midori," she said. "What's your name?" I pressed my lips together. Should I even be talking to this woman? Why is she interested in me? Well, might as well say something. She spoke to me anyway. I dropped my shoulders.

"Isobe Naomi," I said. "And there is one guy I like, but he never notices me. I want to tell him how I feel, but…"

"You don't want to complicate things," Midori finished. I nodded grimly.

"Yeah…" I mumbled. I looked up at her. "You know what I mean?" I asked. Midori gave me a little smile.

"Yes, I really do," she said softly. "What is his name?" I hesitated at first. I really should've shut up then, but it wouldn't stop spilling out.

"Fukuda Jun," I said. Midori made a face at me.

"Oh really?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"I see," Midori said to herself. "Interesting…" I cocked my head at her.

"I'm sorry?" I asked. Midori smiled and shook her head.

"Nothing," she said rather nonchalant. "Nothing at all."


	15. The Timed Details

_Chapter Fifteen: The Timed Details:_

_Look for the pattern._

Tsuzuki pulled up the photos on the laptop. "Fourteen so far," he said.

"The murders looked to have started around August," Hisoka stated. Tsuzuki started up the slideshow.

"Kurasawa Jin," his partner read. "Age sixteen, first victim, found floating along the river." He clicked the next slide.

"Miyazaki Kaoru, age sixteen, second victim." Tsuzuki went to the next slide.

"Amuro Saji, age seventeen, third victim."

"Okomoto Makoto, age eighteen and fourth victim. No defensive wounds, suggests that he knew the killer."

"Victims five through nine are unknown. Safe to assume they are around sixteen to seventeen years old. They might not be from Nagasaki."

"Victims ten and eleven are missing and suspected to be murdered too."

"Komoi Ken, age seventeen and twelfth victim."

"Ono Ichigo, age seventeen, thirteenth victim."

"Kanno Kaoru, age seventeen, latest victim." Tsuzuki turned to Hisoka. "Most of them went to Nagasaki Nihon University," he said.

"At least two of them moved to this area," Hisoka said.

"But, what else do they have in common?" his partner asked.

"The students said that they all dated Asahi-chan," Hisoka said with a shrug. Tsuzuki's face became dead serious.

"Hisoka," he said.

"Hm?" the young boy asked.

"Why were you in the nurse's office the other day?" the older shinigami asked. Hisoka went quiet as he clenched his fists.

"I saw evil when I touched her," he murmured. Tsuzuki raised an eyebrow at him.

"From who, Sayako?" he asked. Hisoka shook his head.

"No, from Naomi," he said. Violet eyes shot wide open.

"What?" he asked.

"I can't explain it," his young partner went on. "I got nothing from Sayako, but Naomi seemed worried about something."

"How do you mean?" the older shinigami asked.

"Well," Hisoka said. "I saw blood and the corpses within Naomi."

"And Sayako?"

Hisoka shrugged. "I couldn't sense anything from her, she's empty."

Tsuzuki thought about all of this. "So we have two suspects in this case."

"It seems that way," Hisoka replied.

"But who do we question first?" the older shinigami asked. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" Tsuzuki asked. The shinigami looked at each other and cautiously approached the door.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"Delivery!" a muffled female's voice shouted.

"What is it?" Hisoka asked.

"Open the door and see!" the woman said. The boys looked at each other.

"What should we do?" Tsuzuki mouthed. Hisoka gave him a serious nod. The older shinigami opened the door crack and peeked out. A container hot, fresh takoyaki greeted him. Excited, Tsuzuki threw open the door. That joy died when he saw who was on the giving end of the container.

"Oh," the shinigami said. "It's you." Thanatos grinned at him.

"Hi!" she cheered. Hisoka glanced at her.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Oh, just to give you this fresh takoyaki," she said. "My little way of saying, 'Goodbye.'"

"Goodbye?" Tsuzuki asked.

"That's right," Thanatos said. "I know about the Nagasaki Case. Back off, I'm taking the girl. Her soul is enough to buy a high-priced meal!"

"That's not going to happen!" Tsuzuki snapped.

"Says who?" she challenged.

"Both of us," Tsuzuki said. "We are in charge of Kyushu and this is our case!"

"I don't care, unless you want me to take your sweet little girlfriend's soul instead." Tsuzuki saw burning red.

"What did you say?" he snapped.

"Oh, don't you know?" the bounty hunter asked. "Your little blow-up doll is here in Nagasaki. Didn't she tell you?"

"You're lying!" he snapped.

"If I am, then how do you explain that bento you had today?" she asked.

"What?!" the shinigami snapped. Thanatos shrugged her shoulders.

"Would you look at that?" she asked. "Your little dolly is keeping secrets from you. Anyway, I'm either getting the demon or your toy. Take your pick!"

"You're not getting Anna!" Tsuzuki snapped.

"And you're not getting the suspects either!" Hisoka barked.

"Fine," Thanatos said. "I'll go over your heads, but until then…" She handed the takoyaki to Hisoka. He gave her a cold stare as Thanatos smirked at the boys.

"Ta-ta!" she said with a little wave. The bounty hunter walked away. The shinigami happened to look up and see Eros standing feet away. His pale, emotionless face filled their heads with questions.

"What do you see in her?" Tsuzuki asked. Eros bowed and walked away. Oh great, not only did they have this case to deal with, but now Thanatos and Eros were after one of the girls' souls.

Suddenly, Tsuzuki's cell phone buzzed. The older shinigami pulled it out and went out the door in a flash. Hisoka looked up, confused.

"Tsuzuki?" he asked. "Where are you going?" The older shinigami was already gone.


	16. Wasting Time with You

_Chapter Sixteen: Wasting Time with You:_

Russet locks spread across a white cotton pillow.

Tsuzuki glanced up at Anna. "Why didn't you tell me you were here in Nagasaki?"

Anna sighed and dropped her. "I wanted to surprise you, but Thanatos ruined everything."

White sheets wrapped around two warm bodies.

"But what are you doing here?"

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "To be honest with you, I didn't really plan this trip at all. It just sort of happened." He kissed her on the forehead.

A little smile came on her face. "How was the bento?"

"Great!"

Her giggles floated in the dark. "I'm so glad you liked it."

"Hey, maybe I should make you a bento as well."

She nervously bit on her lower lip. "Maybe…"

"Come on, please!"

"We'll see."

He gave her a little pout. She smiled and kissed him. "We'll see."

"Okay."

She patted him on the forehead. "Very good." He held her by the waist. She wore light baby blue angel pajamas tonight. He liked summer better; more bare skin to touch that way. This would have to do for now. Cuddling isn't bad.

She made a face at him. "Shouldn't you be working tonight?"

"Hm? Oh, it's okay, Hisoka's on it."

"You sure?"

He rolled atop her. "Yeah, I'm all yours tonight."

Her lips curved into a little smile. "I like that."

He kissed her on the forehead. "I knew you would." Staring at her face lit his heart up. He gently stroked her cheek as her hand rested upon his chest.

"You sure you don't want to do it tonight?" Her foot brushed up against his ankle. He shook his head.

"Nah, I'm saving that for after the case."

"Ah, fair enough."

Tsuzuki kissed her on the cheek. "But we can just lie around her like this."

She kissed him on the throat. "This is true." She could feel him tremble beneath her lips.

He chuckled as he tried to regain himself. "Hey now, you keep working me up."

She gave him an innocent little look. "Do I?"

"Save it for after the case, okay?"

"Okay."

He smiled and kissed her on the head. "You're too cute."

"Mmm." Her eyes slowly began to slip shut.

He pouted. "Aw, don't tell me you're going to sleep now." She had taken the bus to dream land. Maybe she'll see him there?

He tried to shake her awake. "Anna-chan? Anna-chan? Anna-chan?" Her shoulder shook limply as she slept. He lowered his hand and a little smile crept across his face. He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Good night." He gently put his other arm over her and shut his eyes. He would see her in his sexiest of dreams of her. Her bare, narrow feet gently touched his ankles under the sheets.


	17. Ceasefire

_Chapter Seventeen: Ceasefire:_

This couldn't go on; something had to give, Hotaru knew and Emiko knew as well. Yet, neither one wanted to do the kissing up.

Hotaru sat alone in the living room. Her fingers caressed the soft cotton of her black teddy bear's face. She stared at the blank, white button eyes, and sighed aloud.

"What will we do?" the loli demon asked. She looked down the hall. Pitch black tonight. Everyone's already asleep, she thought. She looked up at the ceiling. _Emiko…_ Hotaru started to hate sleeping alone now. Cuddling next to a sleeping Emiko outside of the sheets didn't help. She missed the warmth and love. This mess could end now. It only took two little words.

Hotaru shook her head_. No! Why am I always the one to apologize? Not this time! Let her apologize to me for a change! It was her fault!_ The loli demon paused. _I don't even remember our fight._ Her mind got lost in thought. Nothing came into her head; no reason for a fight at least. The loli Goth sighed. _This is stupid._ What was she doing? Why was she in the living room and not in bed making love to her girlfriend? Why was she holding out again? Hotaru sighed and dropped her shoulders.

_This is dumb._ Hotaru looked down the hall again. _Like I have a choice?_ She got up and walked down the hall. Each step got heavier and heavier. Suddenly, a tiny light up ahead caught her attention. A puzzled look came over her face.

_Hm? What's the light doing on?_ Hotaru looked into the open crack of the door. Emiko sat up in bed when she noticed her. Hotaru started to back away.

"You can come in," her girlfriend said in a low voice. The loli demon stayed put at first. _Should I go in?_

"Come in if you're going to come in!" Emiko said quickly.

"Okay, okay!" Hotaru said. "Geez, you don't have to be so pushy!" She pushed open the door and went inside. Emiko kept her eyes focused on her.

"What?" she asked. Hotaru stood before her. Her girlfriend eyed her.

"Well, what do you want?" she asked. "Speak!" Hotaru frowned.

"Don't rush me!" she barked. Emiko pulled back as her girlfriend frowned.

"This is hard, you know," the loli demon said.

"I know," her girlfriend replied.

Hotaru breathed out. "This is stupid."

"Yes."

The loli demon shuffled her feet. "I miss your bed."

"And?"

"I can help you with Daisuke's notes."

"And?"

Hotaru pressed her lip together as she clenched her fists. "I love you, okay? Let's just stop fighting and talk again. I don't even remember why we were even fighting anymore. This is just stupid. Let's just end this crap, okay?"

Emiko said nothing when she pulled back her sheets to let the loli Goth demon in. Hotaru walked over and crawled in.

"Thank you," she said. Emiko's stoic face didn't change.

"We'll translate tomorrow," she said. "It'll go faster with us working together." Hotaru nodded, but paused.

"Emiko-sama," she said.

"Hm?" her girlfriend asked.

"What were we even fighting about?" Hotaru rested her head on her shoulder. Emiko tried to think of an answer. She finally shook her head.

"No idea," she said. "I think you wanted to bring your zoo into our room." Hotaru shrugged as she drew her eyes closed. What did it matter anymore?


	18. Unseen

_Chapter Eighteen: Unseen:_

_I don't want to be invisible anymore._

Bright lights everywhere lit up the room. Hisoka watched everyone from the bar. Tsuzuki left him alone tonight. To the boy's surprise, it didn't piss him off at all. It was annoying, but not too painful anymore. He should have known when Tsuzuki took off after his phone buzzed. Thanatos had to go and ruin everything.

No use complaining, though; Hisoka had work to do. The music in Kiko's pounded in the air. The boy frowned at his surroundings. _What's so great about this place?_ However, Hisoka wasn't here for the party.

His eyes scanned the room. Sayako always brought dates to this place. The gossip at school proved useful. Hisoka looked down the bar. Princess Sayako sat in all of her popular glory. She looked more alive than she did on the first day of school, but Hisoka didn't buy it.

Sayako's real emotions were blank, DOA. Hisoka couldn't figure it out. _How is she even alive like this?_ He stared at the ice queen. Hisoka could only see the endless black hole in her soul, could see nothing at all except this through that perky facade. She wasn't alone tonight; another boy sat next to the all-mighty ice queen. He had his arm around her shoulders, kissing her neck. Sayako giggled at the sensation.

_That's the next victim_, Hisoka thought. He had to rescue him from being victim number fifteen. However, Hisoka noticed that the couple wasn't alone tonight. Naomi and Jun sat with them. Hisoka focused on the second girl. Naomi didn't even look at her friend. The young shinigami found an instant opening. Her overwhelming emotions drew him deeper. She rose and walked out the door. As if under a spell, Hisoka followed behind.

The clear outside snapped him awake. The boy looked around and found that Naomi had disappeared. _Where did she go?_ Soft clicks caught his ears. Hisoka jerked his head upwards as heated sparks died while they tried to light a fresh cigarette between Naomi's lips.

"Damn it!" she cussed to herself each time. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" The sparks kept dying without success.

"You know it's illegal for you to do that," a voice told her. "You have to wait three more years." Naomi turned to see Hisoka staring at her.

"Like I have a choice," she mumbled, frowning. "I might as well. No one will notice me anyway."

"I notice you," Hisoka said. Naomi froze and lowered the cigarette.

"You're the guy who collapsed after the assembly, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes," Hisoka replied.

Naomi made a puzzled face at him. "Why are you here? I never pegged you as someone who would go to a place like this."

"I could ask you the same thing."

Naomi lowered her eyes. "Oh, Sayako-chan and Jun-kun dragged me along."

"Dragged you along?"

"Yeah, Sayako-chan comes here every night."

Hisoka tilted his head. "You don't sound happy about it."

Naomi smiled and shook her head. "Oh, she's more of a party girl. I just stay home and study."

Hisoka shook his head. "That's not it, is it?" Naomi froze up as she felt herself shudder. Instinct told her to run, but where to? Hisoka's eyes held her in place. He didn't seem to want to let her go. _What should I do?_ She couldn't tell him the real truth about her best friend.

"Well…" The cigarette pinched between her fingers. "Yeah…"

Hisoka watched her closely. "What is it?" The sorrow from her soul leaked into him. Naomi's eyes matched her pain.

"It's Jun-kun," she admitted.

"What about him?" he asked. Naomi's cheeks turned cotton candy pink. It didn't take much for Hisoka to figure it out.

"Oh," he said. "Are you in love with him?" Naomi nodded as Hisoka began to think a little more.

"And he doesn't notice you?" he asked. Naomi winced; it hurt to hear the truth.

"Why?" the boy asked.

Naomi dropped her head. "Sayako-chan."

"What?" Hisoka asked.

Naomi's eyes welled up with tears. "He loves Sayako-chan." She grabbed onto Hisoka in desperation.

The boy struggled to get away. _Her sadness is drowning me!_ Naomi looked up at him with big, teary eyes.

"It's always about her!" she cried. "Sayako! Sayako! Sayako! He doesn't give a damn about me!" Hisoka blinked at her.

"You were that close?" he asked.

"Yes!" she cried. "We knew each other since we were eight!" Naomi broke down crying on his shoulder. It was then Hisoka began to see the truth.

He began to see that night. Blood, so much blood clouded his vision. Hisoka tried to grasp the whole story. The scenes moved too quickly; all he could see was blood and corpses.

_What is this?_

Naomi blinked at him. "Endo-kun?" she asked. "Endo-kun, what's wrong?" His mind flooded with pain and guilt. The waves became too much on his brain. Hisoka violently pushed her away. Naomi blinked, bewildered.

"Endo-kun?" she asked. "What's going on?" She reached out to Hisoka, but he backed away.

"Stay away from me!" he cried.

"Hisoka?" she asked. The boy ran away from her. Naomi lowered her hand and looked down at the fresh cigarette pressed between her fingers.


	19. Love Me Tonight

_Chapter Nineteen: Love Me Tonight:_

_Please love me!_

A drunken Jun wandered outside of the bar. He spotted Naomi all alone in the alley and swayed over to her. His long-time friend looked up and saw him.

"Jun-kun?" she asked.

"Naomi-chan!" her friend cheered. The boy walked over to her, but tripped and toppled over.

"Whoa!" the girl said as she caught him. "How did you get this drunk?" Jun looked up at her with a red face.

"Kenichi slipped me some!" he slurred out. Naomi sighed as she shook her head. Kenichi was the school jerk. He used people—especially girls. They were just his toys until he got bored. Another reason Naomi didn't want to come out tonight.

"Oh, Jun-kun," she said. "You should have known." The boy only laughed. His old friend breathed out.

_Oh boy_, she thought. "Come on," the girl said. "I'm taking you home."

"Home, yay!" Jun cheered with his fist in the air.

"Come on," Naomi said as she started to drag him off.

Alcohol is a funny thing. It makes people do stupid stuff. Secrets and truths spill out. Jun wouldn't shut up during the walk home.

"I'm a loser," he said.

"No, you're not," Naomi argued.

"I'll never get a date."

"That's not true."

"She'll never go out with me."

Naomi sighed as she tried to keep a positive face. "I know." Suddenly, Jun placed his feet firmly onto the ground. His friend turned and saw him looking deep into her eyes.

"I like you!" he announced.

Naomi gave him a blank stare. "E-Excuse me?"

Jun gave her a goofy grin. "I really like you."

"Uh… okay…"

"You're nice… and smart… and… and… you're really cute!"

Naomi felt her cheeks turn pink. "Uh… well… thanks, I never knew you felt that way about me, but you're drunk, so…." Jun rushed forward and kissed her on the lips. Not a romantic kiss either, more of a drunk, sloppy kiss. Naomi thought about fighting back.

_This isn't right! He's drunk and not in the right state of mind! We shouldn't be doing this!_ But, why couldn't she push him away? Naomi slowly shut her eyes and caved under inch by inch. Jun grabbed her by the waist. He plowed his tongue into her mouth, causing the girl to nearly choke as a result. Jun quickly pulled back.

"I'm sorry, that was bad," he whispered. Naomi shook her head, smiling.

"It's okay," she murmured. "I'm here for you." Jun stared at her in a slow, sobering realization. All words had been washed away by the alcohol. He finally grabbed her by the hands. The boy looked deep into her eyes.

"Take me home with you!" he pleaded. Naomi's selfish foolishness took over her mind as she led Jun back to her house. He kissed her at the door. She passively pushed him off.

"Calm down," she whispered. "My mom could be sleeping inside." Jun nuzzled her neck in response. Naomi softly giggled with fireworks exploding in her head. _Don't wake me up if I'm dreaming!_

It didn't take long to unlock the door and get inside. Jun pinned Naomi against the dark wall and started kissing her again. She kissed him back and led him upstairs to her room. She was about to turn on the light when Jun arrested her wrist. Naomi glanced behind her. Jun shook his head.

"No," he said. "You'll ruin it." His childhood friend paused at his words. She finally let her hand go limp. Jun nuzzled her ear lobe.

"Mmm," the boy whispered as he kissed her nape. Naomi slowly shut her eyes as she drew in swallow breaths.

"Take me," she whispered. "Please take me." She turned around to her childhood crush and let Jun kiss her again. He grabbed onto her orange shirt and ripped it off. Fear and wonder seized her mind.

_This isn't right_, she thought. _I shouldn't be doing this. He's drunk and my dear friend._ Yet secretly, she had wished for this. Jun pushed her down onto her bed. Naomi looked up at him and the desperate glaze deep in his blank eyes. His mind had been shut off by the booze and hormones. Naomi still didn't say no.

_I want…_

His dark grey shirt hit the floor. Her cheeks turned a soft cherry blossom pink when she saw his slender torso in the dim moonlight.

_I want…_

He tugged at her black jeans as he unzipped them. She swallowed hard as his fingertips caressed her skin.

_I want… _Naomi tightly shut her eyes. "Love me!"

Jun paused and looked down. "Did you say something?" She ripped open her brown eyes. Naomi grabbed onto his arms like a needy little child.

"Love me tonight!" she pleaded. "I need you! I love you! I have always loved you! Choose me!" He kissed her while Naomi took him with all her anxiety.

She lied there as Jun stripped off his jeans and black boxers. She had never known him to well-endowed with his member. _Oh wow!_ Her heat spread from her face to between her legs. The new sensations overwhelmed her innocent mind. She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. The insecure taste returned to her mouth when Jun clutched her white cotton sports-bra. Naomi's chest tightened up. Jun glanced at her in a moment of sobriety.

"Should I stop?" he asked. His childhood friend shook her head.

"No!" she pleaded. "Keep going! I want this!" Jun shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright," he said at last. The boy's fingers found the hooks of the bra and began freeing up each one. Naomi felt her whole body break down into trembling.

_I want this! I want him!_

Jun slid off her bra and flung it across the room. He grabbed onto her frilly yellow panties dragged down and off of her ankles. Naomi spread her legs for him. Her virgin blood fed the experience as Jun took her without any thought. Naomi lied there and took it. It felt so weird, almost surreal so to speak.

_Is this what sex is like?_ She almost couldn't feel a thing. There was the pain, but she was used to that due to the other previous disappointments in her life. Other than that, Naomi virtually felt nothing, almost nothing to be frank. A rare warmth formed in her belly and slowly rose to her like a soap bubble. She gently held Jun in her arms. In that moment, she saw the soul mate in him, the husband in him, the father in him.

Jun found his head lost in booze, hormones, and pleasure. He couldn't think straight anymore. Within this confusion was born a new wonder. What if Naomi could complete him? It could be true; they had known each other for so long…

The heat died with the bareback climax from Jun. Naomi's eyes trailed to the ceiling. _I feel so… happy. Really, truly happy. Oh, I don't want this to end. I hope it doesn't. I love you, Jun-kun._


	20. The Bait

_Chapter Twenty: The Bait:_

_Betrayal_

Naomi woke up alone the next morning. Memories of last night danced playfully in her head as a little smile crept across her face. _Jun-kun…_ She was a real woman now. Naomi clutched her pillow and smiled. _I want more_, she thought.

Her morning started off positive. Naomi met Jun at the usual stop. The boy was still nursing a hangover. He looked up to see a smiling Naomi.

"Good morning!" she cheered. Jun groaned.

"Not now," he complained.

"Okay," she said, upbeat. Jun blinked at her.

"What are you smiling for?" he asked. Naomi giggled. _Should she tell him? Nah, he's a grown boy. Let him figure it out._ She leaned in closer.

"I just want to ask you one thing."

"What?"

Being a woman was an empowering thing. Naomi had it in her to keep talking. She gently took Jun's hand.

"I was just wondering, what are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing, why?"

Naomi looked at him with a smile. "Go on a date with me."

Jun jerked his head up to her. "What?"

She shrugged her shoulders at him. "You know, like on a date."

He blinked at her. "Okay…"

"So, what do you say?"

Jun paused before he shrugged."Sure, why not?"

His old friend leapt up in joy. "Oh thank you!" She gave him excited hug.

"Hey!" Jun exclaimed. "Calm down! Calm down!" Naomi pulled back.

"Sorry," she mumbled with pink cheeks. The Asahi car pulled up to the bus stop. Asahi-san lifted her shades and eyed them.

"Well, well, well," she said. "What is this?" Naomi could only smile. She gave it her all not to brag about last night. Suddenly, Sayako didn't matter; nothing really mattered.

Naomi glowed all day. Jun on the other hand was in for a couple of surprises. Both arrived at his locker. He found a note taped to the door. _Huh?_ Jun took down the pink note and read it to himself. No name on the outside. The boy sniffed the paper. _Baby powder?_ Jun opened the note.

Missed you last night; I was so bored. Meet me tonight at Kiko's.

Sayako

Jun stared at the paper. He had to read it again two more times. _Wow!_ Suddenly, it all came back to him: Kenichi getting him drunk to have Sayako all to himself, Jun walking over to Naomi, him saying he liked her, him kissing her, her taking him back to her house, them in her bed during their romp of passion

Jun stepped back, blinking. _Naomi-chan and I…_ He shook his head. _So, what does this mean now?_ Until today, Sayako had ruled his heart.

Jun raced down the hall to find his friend. Suddenly, someone grabbed him by the shoulder. The boy paused and looked behind him. Kenichi grinned at him.

"Hey buddy," he said. Jun frowned and pushed him off.

"What do you want?" he asked. Kenichi gave him a little pout.

"Oh come on, old friend," he said. "It was only a joke."

"Not a funny joke!"

"Come on, lighten up!"

Jun glared at him. Kenichi noticed the note in his hand.

"What'cha got there?" he asked.

"Nothing!" Jun snapped. The other boy already grabbed the paper out of his hand and read it before he could speak.

"Hey!" Jun yelled. Kenichi smirked as he read. He turned to the other boy.

"Ooo!" he said. "What is this?" Jun looked away, red-faced.

"Nothing!" he repeated.

"Nah!" Kenichi cheered. "Sayako-chan's invited you out tonight."

"It's not like that!" Jun yelled.

Kenichi laughed at him. "Oh please, it's all over your face!" Jun pressed his lips together.

"So?" Kenichi asked. "Are you going?" The other boy jerked his head around.

"What?!" he yelled. Kenichi patted him hard on the back. Jun winced as he took a heavy breath. The jerk grinned at him.

"Come on, man!" he cheered. "Go for it!" Jun looked at him with big eyes.

"Huh?!" he blurted out. Kenichi put his arm around his new "friend." The other boy tried to push him off.

"Come on, buddy!" the jerk said. "This is a rare opportunity. You can't let one night with your dream girl pass by, can you?" Jun paused and thought about that. _One night with Sayako-chan… Wow! It could be worth it._ Plus, he lost his virginity last night. A smile came across his face. _Maybe I could impress Sayako-chan with the new skills I have learned!_ He turned to Kenichi.

"I'll do it!" Jun cheered. The jerk patted him on the back.

"Atta boy!" he said. The other boy gave him an uncomfortable smile. What about Naomi?

She had heard the whole conversation from around the corner of the lockers. Reality can be such a cruel bitch. Naomi's heart sank as she shed big tears. _Was that all I was to him? A one-night stand test run and then I'm nothing? Is this how it's going to be? Am I just going to be invisible to Jun-kun from now on?_

It all started to sink from there.

By six o'clock that evening, Jun made it out to Kiko's. The place looked busy as usual. The boy swallowed hard. Suddenly, this was turning into a bad idea already. Jun sighed. _Too late now_, he thought. He took slow steps into the juice bar.

Naomi sat alone in the park as the sun sank down over Nagasaki. She had been crying all day. Around dinnertime, she came to a realization. _What's the point anymore? I don't want to suffer. I don't want to be invisible anymore!_

She decided to fix the problem.

Jun looked around the party atmosphere and frowned at his surroundings. What was so great about this place? He could understand why Naomi hated this place. Jun felt his guilt sink in. _Naomi…_

Jun suddenly spotted Sayako at the bar. He gave her a weak smile as he walked over to her.

Pills and Yamazaki; that was all Naomi needed tonight.

Jun sat down next to his longtime crush. Sayako glanced up at him from her fruit punch. He didn't notice that hazy, blank look in her eyes. The boy gave her a nervous smile.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey," she said back. Jun shuffled his feet. Here he was, sitting in Kiko's with the girl of his dreams. _This doesn't feel right. I should be a happy son of a bitch now, but…_

He glanced at Sayako. "Nice night, huh?"

"Yeah."

Jun shuffled an empty glass around on the bar. He tried to sit still. "So, uh… you want to dance?"

Sayako's face lit up with a smile. "Sure, I'd love to." They moved from the bar to the centre of the room.

Drink, pills, drink, pills, drink, pills. Naomi continued this pattern with dry tears in her eyes. She couldn't really cry anymore. Jun robbed her of everything last night and that morning. She just wanted to make it stop. Once both were gone, Naomi stood up in her long, lacy white dress and twirled around on the bench. Turn, turn, turn, turn, turn into nothing.

Jun fought to keep a brave face as he danced with Sayako. She still looked blank, but that wasn't on his mind. He kept thinking about Naomi. In those long seconds, he came to realize something. He didn't really love Sayako anymore. She had been something he wanted, but could never have. The boy's feelings were changing in a new direction. Maybe he loved Naomi now?

Suddenly, Kenichi walked over to the dancing couple and cut in to dance with them. Jun looked rather puzzled. Pretty soon, he found himself pushed out of the circle on the outside, watching the school jerk dance with his former crush.

He had been had.


	21. Unfolded

_Chapter Twenty-One: Unfolded:_

Jun stepped outside of Kiko's and dialed a familiar number. He paced around as the other line rang.

"Come on," he mumbled. "Pick up. Pick up."

"Hello?" a woman asked on the other line Jun's face looked puzzled.

"Uh… Can I speak to Naomi-chan?" he asked

"Jun-kun?" the woman asked.

It hit the boy about who it was on the phone "Niwa-san? Where's Naomi-chan?"

"In the back of an ambulance with me!" Anna yelled, and Jun's eyes shot wide.

"What?" he shouted.

"Yeah," Anna barked. "She tried to commit suicide tonight!"

"Is she… still alive?"

"Barely! It was lucky that I was passing by in the park! Otherwise, she would be in a body bag right now!"

"Which hospital are you heading to now?"

"Komoi Nishi!"

Jun nodded "I'll be right there!" _This is all my fault._

It took close to an hour and thirty minutes to get to the hospital. Jun burst through the doors, panting.

"Excuse me!" he blurted out as he rushed over to the front desk. "Which room is Isobe-chan in?"

The receptionist blinked at him. "Are you family?"

"Yes! Just tell me the room!" he yelled.

"Calm down," the lady said. "She's in the OR right now."

"When will she be out?"

"We don't know. We will let you know."

Jun lowered his shoulders. "Alright."

The receptionist narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to her computer."Take a seat."

The boy complied with low spirits. Jun looked up at the ceiling. _I fucked up._ The ticking clock in the background didn't help.

In an hour, a doctor came out to the waiting room. Jun quickly sat up.

"How is she?" he asked in one breath. The doc gave him a calm look.

"We had to pump her stomach," he said.

"But she'll be okay, right?"

"She's resting now."

Jun began to feel a little better. "Can I see her now?"

"Sure," the doctor said. "She's in room 213."

"Thank you," Jun said with a bow. He hurried down the hall. _I really screwed up this time._

He found that Naomi wasn't alone. Anna, Tsuzuki, and Hisoka sat around her bed. They looked up when they heard footsteps. Jun stood in the doorway, blinking.

"Uh… is this a bad time?" he asked. Anna's eyes grew cold at him. "This is all your fault," they seemed to yell. Jun swallowed.

"Come on in if you want," Hisoka said. Jun shrugged and walked in. Naomi's complexion had drained to white. She looked to be dreaming, but Jun felt his stomach drop.

"I did this to her," he mumbled. The trio looked up at him.

"Sorry?" Tsuzuki asked. Tears formed in the boy's eyes as he looked down at his feet.

"I slept with her last night and then I went off with Sayako-chan tonight," Jun mumbled.

"What?" Anna asked. The boy clenched his fists tightly.

"I was drunk…" he mumbled. Jun shook his head. "No, I have no excuses. I caused this mess. I didn't think." He shook his head. "It's all my fault. It's all my fault!" Anna started to say something, but Tsuzuki stopped her by touching her hand. She eyed him, frustrated as Tsuzuki shook his head. Anna closed her mouth. Jun shuffled his feet.

"I need to make a call," he mumbled. "Is… that okay?" Jun looked over at Anna. She only huffed at him.

"Fine," she hissed. "Make your damn call." Jun breathed as he took out his phone and stepped out into the hall.

"Idiot," Anna muttered. The boys turned to her. She cut them an icy look.

"Boys like him need to be slapped!" she barked. Tsuzuki gently touched her shoulder, but she pushed him off.

"I mean look what he did to her!" the woman snapped.

"I know," Tsuzuki murmured.

"Somebody ought to kick his ass!" she yelled.

"I know," Tsuzuki repeated. "He's already beating himself about it. Don't dig it in deeper." She only sneered at her boyfriend.

"Well, well, well," a voice spoke up. "Two bounties in the same place; must be my lucky night!" The trio looked up and saw Thanatos standing in the doorway, staring at them. Tsuzuki drew out his fuda to attack. Anna narrowed her eyes at her and Eros.

"Eros, is this your partner that you warned me about?" she asked. Tsuzuki darted his head at her.

"You know him?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "He came to me in Tokyo and told me to give you a message."

"What message?" he asked. Anna thought about that for a moment. She shook her head.

"I think it was something about the demon and the wrong suspect," the woman replied.

"Hey!" Thanatos snapped as she stormed into the room. "Don't ignore me!" Eros patted her on the shoulder as he followed her.

"Calm down," he murmured. His girlfriend-partner took in a deep breath and smirked.

"Right," she said. The bounty hunter drew out her Dragon Tongue dagger charm necklace from under her shirt.

"We have work to do!" Thanatos said.

"That's not going to happen," Hisoka told her. "Naomi is coming with us to be judged."

"You're not taking my bounty!" the bounty hunter screamed. Eros had to hold her back in the process.

"What's going on here?" a voice asked in the hall. Everyone looked and saw Sayako and Jun walking into the room. Thanatos sneered at the ice queen.

"What's it to you?" she snapped.

"That's my friend there!" Sayako said in a commanding voice. The bounty hunter tried to hold back her laughter.

"Aw, that's too bad," she cooed. "Because she's coming with me and it's time for you to get lost!"

"Make me!" Sayako yelled.

"Fine!" the other girl snapped. Thanatos tried to push the ice queen out the door. To her surprise, Sayako was quick to fight back. Her short, painted nails scratched the bounty hunter in the cheek.

"Ow!" Thanatos screamed as she saw red. "Bitch!" She slapped the girl in the face. Sayako kneed her in the stomach. Anna and the crew watched, uneasily.

"Maybe we should stop them?" Tsuzuki asked. He started to do so when Eros held out his hand to stop him. The shinigami eyed him.

"But…" he said. The bounty hunter shook his head.

"No," Eros said. "If you break it up now, she will tear you to pieces. Let her fight this one out. Do it for me, please?"

"Ow!" they heard one of the girls scream. Everyone looked up to see Thanatos backing away, shocked. Jun watched her with big eyes.

"What did you do?" he shouted as he began backing out of the room. "What the hell are you people?" Thanatos' jaw just dropped.

"No way!" she gasped. "That's not possible! That Dragon's Tongue can't harm normal humans!" Sayako winced as her throat burned from the purified silver necklace dagger charm that had touched her skin during the struggle.

"What was that?" Sayako cried. "It burns! It burns! It burned me!" The truth became clear: Asahi Sayako had been the demon all along.


	22. Sayako's Body

_Chapter Twenty-Two: Sayako's Body:_

_One terrible secret…_

Summer 2010 was supposed to be an ordinary summer. Sayako and Naomi hadn't expected to do much. Their plans, just like their lives, were different that summer. Naomi wanted to study to get ahead for the fall. Sayako went out to party with the boys and tried to get her best friend to do the same.

"Come on, Naomi-chan!" she said. "You never have any fun. Get out for a change."

Her friend always kindly refused. "I don't want to fall behind."

Sayako pouted at her. "Aw, such a goody-goody!"

_August 14th, 2010._

It was Saturday and Sayako wanted to party. She tried to drag Naomi out with her.

"Come on, please?" she pleaded. "Live a little for a change!" Naomi shook her head.

"Sorry, but I have to study," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Sayako narrowed her eyes at her. "You're not trying to avoid me, are you?"

Naomi shifted her eyes away from her friend. "No…"

"You sure?"

"Yes, I am sure."

The other girl sighed as she shook her head. "Fine, fine." As Sayako turned to leave, Naomi paused at her desk.

"Sayako-chan, wait!" she cried. The ice queen turned around. Naomi looked her in the eye.

"Just…" she said. "Be careful, okay?" Sayako gave her a little smile.

"Alright," she said. "See ya." The princess went out the door. That was that last Naomi saw of Sayako.

There's nothing like Kiko's during the summer. The bar doubled up on the parties. Not a place for Naomi, but Sayako on the other hand, adored Kiko's during the summer. Like everywhere else, she was the centre of attention. Boys ogled her the whole night. Despite this, she looked bored.

_It's never fun without Naomi around_, she thought. They seemed to be drifting apart lately. Like Naomi, Sayako didn't like it. The popular princess sighed as she stared out into space. _Wonder why she doesn't want to hang out with me anymore_, she thought. _Weird…_

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Sayako glanced behind her. Cold, lifeless white-silver eyes stared at her. The princess nearly jumped on her stool. The ghost-like face smiled at her.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked. Sayako blinked.

"Uh…" she said. A hand patted her on the shoulder.

"There, there," he murmured. "I don't intend to cause you any harm."

"Okay…" she said. "What do you want?"

"To buy you a drink," he said. "What do you say?" Sayako stared at him as she gave him a little shrug.

"Sure, why not?" she said. He grinned at her like a devil.

"There you go," he said. The boy ordered the drink. She never knew his name. He did have pretty eyes. They gave her an odd sense of comfort. She talked and drank most of the time. He didn't drink or talk at all. This boy only watched her, studying her.

Close to midnight, Sayako felt drunk. The boy took her by the hand and led her out the door.

Sayako's drunken laughter filled the darkness of the woods. The laughing didn't faze him at all. Sayako stopped laughing and looked around when they came to the lake.

"Where are we?" she asked. The boy didn't speak. Sayako tilted her head at him.

"Hey, why are we out here?" she asked. The boy still didn't answer.

"Come on!" she said. "What are we doing here?" Sayako began to pout at the silence. "Say something!" she yelled. The boy smirked to himself.

"Nothing personal, really," he muttered to himself.

"What?" Sayako asked, blinking. One sharp blast to the chest and she sank into a black nothing.

Before the sun came up the next morning, Sayako woke up to the smell of blood. A chill ran through her body as she reached up and felt her cheek. _Blood? _Fear seized her brain. _Help me. Naomi-chan… Help me…_

Naomi was studying in her room when she heard a knock on her door.

"Yes, mama?" the girl asked, not looking up.

"It's me," a familiar voice croaked. Naomi froze as she was copying her notes.

"Sayako-chan?" she asked. The girl got up and opened the door. Naomi nearly jumped as the sight of glassy, panicked green eyes as they looked inside.

"Sayako-chan?" she asked. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Let me in!" her friend pleaded. "Please let me in!"

"Okay," the other girl said quickly before she opened the door. Horror filled her face when she saw blood covering Sayako's mouth, chest, legs, and hands. Her cute white blouse was torn to shreds. Sayako looked so drunk. Naomi backed up in panic.

"Na…omi…-chan…" her friend slurred out. "Help…me…" She collapsed to the ground. Naomi caught her just in time and cradled her in her arms. She felt a cold burn in her chest.

From there, the seven-week blood feast danced on.

In fact, Sayako killed again—tonight.


	23. Kill Night

_Chapter Twenty-Three: Kill Night:_

_Tokyo._

Emiko and Hotaru pulled an all-nighter tonight. They managed to get half of the rest of Daisuke's notes translated. Suddenly, Hotaru froze with the pen in her hand. Emiko looked up at her.

"Something wrong, Hoto-chan?" she asked. Her girlfriend turned to her.

"Something is coming for us all," she said.

"Ah," Emiko said. "Need to make a shield?"

"Yes," Hotaru replied.

"Okay," her girlfriend said. "Get to it." The loli demon leapt to her feet and flew out of the room. She drew out a piece of chalk and began drawing the elements in Kanji around the house. When she was finished, Hotaru chanted a spell. The circle and Kanji lit up a cool blue. Hotaru felt a wind blow through her body.

In the same hours, Sayako and Kenichi danced together in Kiko's back in Nagasaki. Feeding time loamed nearby. She leaned in close to his ear.

"I'm bored here," she whispered. "Take me out tonight." Kenichi flashed a grin up to his ears.

"Sure," he said. "Your wish is my command." The jerk took the demon possessed angel by the hand and led her out of Kiko's.

"Where do you want to go?" Kenichi whispered to Sayako outside. She thought about that for a minute. The ice queen turned to him with a grin. Her lips came close to his.

Let me show you," she whispered. Kenichi gave her an excited chuckle.

"Okay," he said. Sayako smiled and gently took his hand. They disappeared into the night.

She led him into the woods. Kenichi looked around at the dark towering trees.

"I don't get it," he said.

"Get what?" Sayako asked, innocently.

"Why are we out here?" he asked. Sayako chuckled to herself. Kenichi blinked.

"I don't get it," he said. She didn't answer. The boy began to frown.

"Come on," he said. "This isn't funny."

Sayako turned around to him, licking her lips. "Just relax." The popular ice queen kissed him on the lips. The jerk relaxed and kissed her back.

While they kissed, Sayako's right hand snaked up to his chest. Kenichi gasped aloud in shocked pain in her mouth. The demon smirked in her mind as she ripped out his heart. She pulled out the bleeding organ and began feasting on it. Blood splattered all over her mouth and hands. Each bite was like an orgasm. Sayako felt herself getting wet in the panties. Kenichi went ghost pale as he fell dead at her feet.

Sayako wiped away the blood from her hands and cut the body with her claws. The spine snapped in two with one scratch. Like the other boys, she feasted on the other organs in her high. The blood disappeared into her pores afterwards. Sayako lifted her head to the sky.

"I am reborn!" she cried. Suddenly, her phone rang. Sayako answered it, causally.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Sayako-chan!" Jun breathed out on the other line. "I'm glad I caught you!"

"Why, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Naomi's in the hospital!" Jun blurted. "She tried to commit suicide!"

Sayako's eyes widened in shock. "What?! Why?!"

"It was all my fault. Could you please come by?"

"Is she okay?"

"Yes, please hurry!"

Sayako nodded. "I'll be right there." The ice queen hung up and rushed straight to the hospital.

Everyone in Naomi's room watched in shock as Sayako rose to her feet, snickering.

"Well now," the angelic demon said. "You solved the puzzle. But now…" Sayako lifted her head. Her eyes glowed a blood red.

"You will all die!"


	24. Amazon Death

_Chapter Twenty-Four: Amazon Death:_

All eyes remained on the possessed girl. No, not a girl anymore; this creature was purely demon now. Anna suddenly remembered.

"Oh yes," she said. "Sayako is the demon, not Naomi." The shinigami looked at her.

"A little late to say that," Tsuzuki pointed out. The demon threw back her head and laughed.

"Sayako?" she asked. "That was this body's name."

"Was?" Tsuzuki asked. "What do you mean 'was'?" The demon snorted at him.

"I won't answer to any man!" she snapped.

"Fine then," Thanatos said. "What do you mean, 'was'?" Sayako's pink polished nails grew into razor sharp claws.

"Funny story, really," she said. "I need a female body to survive. This one is not the one I want!"

"Not the one you…" Anna began to ask. Her eyes widened as it hit her. "You want Naomi!" she said. "But… why?" Sayako licked her claws, showing her bloody teeth.

"She was a virgin," she said. Everyone stared at her, stunned.

"Yes, yes," Sayako said with a smirk. "The boy I sent out to find me a new vessel sacrificed this body to me didn't know it wasn't a virgin." The demon snorted with red in her eyes. "That's what I get for trusting a man. I thought I would be stuck with this stupid skank. But then, I saw her friend." She looked over at Naomi, smirking. The girl still hadn't woken up yet. Sayako frowned.

"But," she hissed. "That idiot came along and took her virginity!" Sayako glared at Jun.

"Hey!" he snapped.

"Shut up, you maggot!" Sayako barked. Jun trembled as he went quiet. She turned back to the crowd. "I couldn't have that, now could I?" she asked. "So, I pushed her to commit suicide because of that little maggot over there so I could take over her body."

"Bitch!" Jun cried. Sayako gritted her teeth.

"One more word out of you and I'll rip out your throat!" she barked. Jun glared at her as he gritted his teeth.

"But why kill all of those boys?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Shut up, you man!" the demon snapped.

"Why did you do it?" Anna asked. Sayako laughed.

"You really want to know, do you?" she asked.

"Yes," they all said.

"Fine," Sayako replied. "I'll tell you why." Her face began to look more demonic. "I hate men!" she hissed. "They are arrogant, pathetic, controlling, disgusting creatures! They deserved to be wiped off the planet!"

"That's not true!" Jun barked. "We're not all like that!" Sayako flew into a rage.

"I said shut up!" she barked. She sailed forward to attack. Jun shielded himself in terror. The demon raised her claws to cut him to pieces.

ZAP!

Sayako hollowed in pain. Everyone looked puzzled as a light blue wall surrounded the demon.

"What the hell?" she cried. "What is this?" Tsuzuki grinned once he figured out the source.

"Hotaru's giving us an upper hand," he said. Anna looked at him.

"Huh?" she asked. "How do you know?"

"Look," he said, pointing. Anna squinted her eyes for a better look. They widened when she saw it.

"Oh!" she said. "I see it. I see the little bunnies." The shield had little bunny faces embedded in them. Anna gave the wall a little smile.

"How cute," she said. Sayako sneered at the bunny faces.

"Fuck this!" she snapped. She charged the shield again only to have another shock to the chest. "Ahhh!" she screamed.

"We have to attack now!" Eros barked.

"Wait!" a voice cried behind them. The crew turned and saw Naomi sitting up in her bed. She still looked pretty out of it and groggy. Anna walked over to the girl.

"What's the matter?" she asked. Naomi quickly shook her head as she clutched her sheets.

"No!" she cried in a trembling voice. "Don't hurt her! She's still Sayako-chan!"

"No, she's not!" Thanatos snapped. "Your friend is gone!"

"Sayako's still in there, I can feel it!" Naomi pleaded. The demon rushed forward to attack. Hotaru's shield zapped her again. Tsuzuki and Thanatos prepared to counter her.

"Are you stupid?" the latter yelled over her shoulder. "Look at her! Look at her!" Naomi's tired eyes shifted to her friend.

"Help… me…" the real Sayako pleaded. "Naomi-chan… Help… me…" The other girl tried to get up, Anna held her still.

"Let me go!" Naomi screamed as she tried to fight her off. "Sayako-chan needs me!"

"She's not Sayako anymore!" Thanatos yelled. "It's a trick, can't you see?" Sayako struggled over to the bed with blood running from her eyes.

"Naomi… -chan…" she murmured. "Help… me… Kill… me…" The other girl went still with horror written all over her face. Anna patted her on the arm.

"She's in pain," she whispered. "Do you really want her to keep suffering like this? Do you really want other boys to die by her hands? Do you really want to carry this on your conscious for the rest of your life?" Naomi lowered her head. It didn't occur to her until now. She wasn't the only one suffering from this maddening nightmare. The girl clenched her fists.

"Put her out of her misery," Naomi mumbled. Thanatos grinned.

"Good choice!" she said. Tsuzuki had to act quickly before both Sayako and the demon ended up killed at the bounty hunter's hand. He rushed forward with fuda in hand. Sayako's shot wide open.

"I refuse to be killed by some man! Die!" she cried. The demon rushed over to the shinigami. Thanatos raised her dagger high above her head. Sayako let out a deafening scream of pain. Tsuzuki held the fuda to the girl's chest as he chanted an incantation to her. The demon struggled against him.

"No! No! No! No! No!" she screamed. The demon shot up out of Sayako's body.

"Mine!" Thanatos shouted in her blood lust. She flew up and stabbed the demon in the forehead. The demon screamed out a silent cry before breaking down into black ash and blowing away.

Jun slowly crawled into the room after the kill. Anna let go of Naomi and helped her out of bed to be by her friend's side. The girl's legs felt like jelly as she stumbled to the floor. Naomi used what little strength to crawl over to the center of the room as the shield faded away. The girl took her best friend's lifeless body and cradled it in lap as she wept.


	25. Loose Ends

_Chapter Twenty-Five: Loose Ends:_

Sayako just simply disappeared to the students. In fact, they barely remembered her anymore. Only Jun and Naomi remember her well, but they don't talk about her. Thanatos did get her payment from the bounty in the end. So, she was happy to have a fine meal and sake afterwards. All loose ends were nicely tied up. Anna didn't think so. She sat on Tsuzuki's futon in the house as he packed up his things.

"It's all done, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yep," Tsuzuki replied. "Hisoka and I just need to send in the paperwork."

"And the students?"

"Sayako will fade from their memories."

"And her mother?"

"She won't remember her."

"What about Jun and Naomi?"

Tsuzuki glanced at her. "They'll still remember Sayako."

Anna made a face at him. "They still remember?"

"Yes. They wanted to hold onto Sayako in their memories, but they won't talk about her anymore."

Anna lowered her head. "Just like Iijiri-san with Kato-san's death."

Tsuzuki paused and stared at his girlfriend. "What did you say?" Anna went still as she realized what she had just said. _Oh crap_, the woman thought, quickly covering her mouth. _I blabbed the truth._ Anna looked back at Tsuzuki.

"What do you mean he's dead?" he asked. "His soul hasn't crossed over to us."

Anna made an odd face at him. "What?"

"Yes, his soul wasn't reported to us at all."

Anna pondered that. "Strange…"

Tsuzuki leaned in, intrigued. "How do you know he's dead?" Anna told him about her visit to Kato-san's apartment and the e-mails. Tsuzuki thought about this new information and sat back.

"Hm, well then," the shinigami said. "That solves the question of the e-mails. But why did he do it and why hasn't his soul crossed into Meifu yet?" Anna shrugged at him.

"Iijiri-san didn't really know either," she said. The couple went quiet.

_Last night at Kiko's_

Anna walked in and spotted Jun at the bar. That boy flirted around with another popular girl from Nagasaki Nihon University Junior and Senior High School. Anna shook her head to herself. _Stupid_, she thought. Anna processed over to the bar. The girl with Jun got up and walked away. He gave her a little wave.

"Okay, bye then…" he mumbled. Jun began looking around for another date. The boy spotted Naomi by the window. She and him hadn't been talking since Sayako's death. He didn't know how to since that mess. Suddenly, someone else caught Jun's eye.

"Niwa-san?" he asked as he looked her up and down. "What are you doing here?" Anna made it over to him.

"Just hanging around," she said. "I leave in the morning." The woman flagged down the bar tender and ordered a drink. Her young friend watched her as she got her juice and drank up. Anna whipped around to Jun.

"You know," she spoke up. "I ought to slap you!" The boy blinked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Hello!" she shouted at him. "You've got a girl that loves you and you just keep ignoring her!" Anna pointed over at Naomi as she spoke. Jun looked on uneasily.

"I don't know…" he mumbled. "She might hate me after… well, you know…" Anna snorted at him.

"Pathetic excuse!" she snapped.

"What?!" Jun blurted out. The woman grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him back and forth.

"You're just scared," she summed up.

"Huh?" Jun asked.

"You're scared to find real happiness," Anna preached. "You don't believe you'll be happy with Naomi-chan, so you chase after the popular girls you know you'll never have. Why bother? Stop chasing what you can't have and go find your happiness in the girl who really loves you over there!" The boy only stared at her with big eyes.

"But… what do I say to her?" he asked.

"Anything!" Anna yelled. "Just go talk to her!" Jun pushed her off.

"Okay, okay," he said. "I'll go!" Anna looked at him intently as the boy walked nervously over to his childhood friend. Naomi looked up and saw him. Jun paused in his tracks. He gave her a little wave.

"Hi," the boy mumbled. Naomi gave him a little smile.

"Hi," she said back. Anna watched them from the bar as Jun sat down next to Naomi and talked to her for the first time since yesterday morning. She turned back to her empty glass, smiling. _That was my good deed for the day_, the woman thought as she ran her finger over the rim.

Owari


End file.
